Back In Vegas
by CathGilLove
Summary: Sequel to Secrets Revealed. This is set ten years after the previous story. Sara returns
1. Default Chapter

Title: Back in Vegas

Author: ANNE (the insane one)

Rating: PG

Summary: Sequel to Secrets Revealed. This is set ten years after the previous story. Lindsey is now 23 and in college. Matthew is fifteen. Elizabeth is twelve, James is ten and the surprise arrival, Max, is nine.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belong to the people that make CSI. Matthew, Elizabeth, James and Max belong to me

Nine-year-old Max Grissom raced down the hallway at warp speed, skidded on the polished floor in his socks and fell, sliding along the floor until he ended at the door to the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" Catherine asked, rushing over to him.

Max stood up and grinned. "Yeah."  


"Why were you in such a hurry?"  


"I'm hungry and I gotta watch TV and…"

Catherine put her hand up and handed her son an apple. She had never met anyone quite as accident-prone as Max. Ever since he had been born he was banging his head, running into things, falling over. It was lucky the Grissom's were so well known at the emergency room, because otherwise people would think Max was abused.

Twelve-year-old Elizabeth Grissom skipped into the room, her long blonde hair tied in a plait. "I heard a crash. What did Max do now?"

Max stuck his tongue out at his older sister and disappeared out of the room before Catherine could call him on it.

"He just fell on his way into the kitchen. Where's Jamie?"

"In his room tinkering on something." Lizzy shrugged. "It'll probably explode in a minute."  
**************************************************************

Fifteen-year-old Matthew Grissom opened the letterbox and pulled out the mail. He quickly flipped through it and, when he saw a letter bearing his name, stuffed into his back pocket. 

"I'm home!" he called, wandering through the door.

"How was school?"

"Fine."  


"What did you do today?"

"Nothing."  


Catherine rolled her eyes. She opened the fridge door and nearly had a heart attack. "JAMES GRISSOM!!"

Ten-year old Jamie ran down the stairs and noticed his mother standing in front of the fridge.

"You found my science project!" he cried gleefully.

"Jamie, there is a dissected mouse in my fridge," Catherine said sternly.

Jamie grinned. "Yeah, did you see how I set out the organs and named them?"  


"We so better have takeaway tonight," Lizzie said, running out of the room.

"Can you, uh, take it out, please?" Catherine asked her son.

"Where am I gonna put it?" 

"Down in the basement with your dad's bugs." Catherine smiled to herself. Gil would have a little surprise later.

************************************

An hour later, Cath was preparing dinner and she jumped as a pair of hands wound themselves around her waist, and a pair of lips kissed her neck.

"I'm hoping that's my husband," she murmured, leaning her head back slightly.

"It's me," he whispered into her ear. Turning her around, he kissed her deeply. "Hi."

"Hi," she smiled, leaning into his embrace. "Good to have you home."

"Where are the kids?"

"Matt is in his room. Lizzy is on the phone. Jamie was down in the bug museum. And Max…" Catherine frowned. "Last time I saw Max he was playing with Barker. And that's weird, because Barker usually barks when someone closes the front door."  


"Which can only mean one thing. He's done something he shouldn't have," Grissom groaned.

"Max!" Catherine called.

**************************************************

Matthew stuffed the letter in his desk drawer with a sigh. He didn't need to read the return address. He knew it came from Sara Sidle.

His parents had never lied to him about his mother, and he could remember most of it. How she had left him. How she didn't explain why. His parents had always told him that she just wasn't able to take care of him. But he knew the truth. She just didn't care.

"CATHERINE!!!"

Matt grinned. His father had just discovered the dissected mouse.

**************************************************************  
  
Part 2  



	2. 2

The minute Max heard the doorbell, he raced to the front door, peering through the peephole. He opened the door slightly and stared at the brunette.

"May I help you?"  
"Is this still the Grissom home?"

"Yep. I'm Max."

"Hi. Is, is Matthew here?"

Max nodded. "I'll get him." He hesitated for a moment. "We're not allowed to let in people we don't know." Slamming the door in the woman's face, he ran back inside. "MATT! Someone's at the door for you!!!"

Matt appeared at the loungeroom door. "Is it a girl?"  
Max wrinkled his nose. "Not the kind you'd wanna be dating if you ask my 'pinion."

Matthew went to the front door and narrowed his eyes. "Max, where is she?"

"Out there! I'm not supposed to let in people I don't know!"

"So you slammed the door in her face."  
"Yeah. Of course."  
Matthew shook his head and opened the door. He didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at the woman outside the door. "Hi," he finally mumbled.

"Hi," Sara Sidle smiled. 

"Uh, sorry about my brother. He's only nine." He glanced into the house for a second. "Uh, do you want to come in?"

Sara nodded and Matthew led her into the living room.

"I'll be right back," Matthew said, going in search of Max.

*******************************************

"Where's mom and dad?" Matt asked his younger brother.

"Dad is in the bug museum with Jamie and Mom is upstairs with Lizzy." Max narrowed his eyes. "Why? Isn't that lady supposed to be here?" He gasped. "Did you hire a hooker! Like in that movie? You're so busted!" He scratched his head. "I would have thought she would be prettier though."  
Matt looked confused. "No I didn't hire a hooker! Look, just make sure mom and dad stay occupied until I can get rid of her."

"Is she a teacher? Did you get expelled?"  
"No! Can you do that for me?"

Max folded his arms. "How much?"

Matt groaned and dug in the back of his shorts. He finally handed over a five dollar note. "Just make sure they're occupied."

Max folded the note and stuck it in his pocket. "Nice doing business with you."  
***********************************

Sara looked around the living room while she waited for her son to come back. Pictures littered the wall and the mantelpiece, chronicling the lives of Grissom's family. She noted some photos of Warrick, Nick and Greg, with members of what she assumed where their family. Walking over to the mantelpiece, she focused on one photo, that must have been taken recently. It was a casual shot, with Grissom and Catherine snuggled up together. Matthew sat beside them, with the little boy she had seen at the door in his lap. Lindsey, who had grown into a beautiful young woman, was holding a blonde girl, who she assumed was Elizabeth, in her arms. Another boy, who she hadn't met, sat at Grissom's feet.

The photo beside it made her heart ache. It was a picture solely of Catherine and Grissom laughing and horsing around together. She was about to continue her exploration, when Matthew arrived back.

"Sorry, I just had to check on Max."  
Sara nodded. "Lindsey in college?"

Matt smiled. "Yeah. She wants to be a doctor. Mom and Dad are really proud."

Sara froze. She never realised that Matt would be calling Catherine mom. 

There was a bang and Sara jumped.

"What the hell was that?"

"Nothing. Probably Jamie and Dad in the bug museum. Jamie keeps some of his experiments down there."  
Sara paled slightly, wondering what the kid was experimenting with. 

"No offence or anything, but can I ask what you're doing here?" Matt asked, sitting down.

"You're my son."  
"I've been your son for fifteen years."

Before Sara could reply, the livid form of Catherine Grissom stood in the doorway.

"What's going on?" She glared at Sara. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
Matt stood up. "Max!" he hissed, seeing his younger brother hiding behind their mother.

"I couldn't help it! She said she'd cut off soccer practice AND TV if I didn't tell her what was going on!"

"We'll discuss bribing your brother later," Catherine told Matthew. She turned to Max. "Go get your dad, okay?"

"Catherine," Sara said, standing up, as Max raced out of the room. "I just came to see Matthew."

"After no contact for ten years?" Catherine asked. "Dumping him?"

"Is that what you told him?" Sara cried. 

"No!" Matt said, interrupting. "Mom and Dad have been nothing but…"

"I'm your mother!" Sara told him.

"Matt, take Max and go play or something, okay?" Grissom said, appearing behind his wife.

"But…"

"Now, Matthew."

With a sigh, Matt took his younger brother by the hand and left the room. 

"As I was trying to tell Catherine, before she jumped down my throat, I was just here to see Matthew," Sara explained.

"Sara, I want you to leave. We can talk about you visiting Matt another time. Perhaps if you had let us know earlier that you were coming, we could have discussed this rationally. But for now, I'd like you to leave," Grissom said, his outward calm exterior hiding his anger.

Sara looked confused. "But I did let you know. Well, I let Matthew know, anyway."

Catherine froze. "What?"  
"I wrote to him. I've been writing to him for awhile."  
Grissom sought Catherine's hand, and squeezed it. "We'll discuss it later, Sara. Right now, please leave."  
Sara grabbed her purse. "Tell Matthew I said goodbye. I'm staying in town. He'll know where I am."  
As Grissom walked Sara to the door, Catherine slumped in one of the chairs. He came back in and looked at her.

"I think we need to talk to Matt," he said.

********************************************

Matt looked up as his parents entered his room. Seeing the looks on their faces, he sighed.

"Max, can you go and make sure that Jamie isn't about to blow anything up again?" Gil asked him.

Max frowned. "Why am I always being shuffled place to place? Why don't I get to hear people getting in trouble!?"

"Because you're special," Catherine answered, kissing him on the head. "Now scoot."  
With a grumble, Max left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"I didn't know she was coming, I swear!" Matt said, after his brother had left. "I would have told you if I did."

"Sara told us she's been writing to you," Gil prodded. 

Matt dug around in his drawer and handed over some letters, all unopened. "I never opened them. I didn't want to read them."  
Catherine sighed. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Matt shrugged. "I don't know. I just didn't want to believe it. She's not my mother. You are. You're my family."

Catherine hugged him close. "I know we are. But I don't want you to hide things from us. We have to talk about this stuff."

"Why? She's not important."

"She wants to talk to you," Gil said, sitting down next to Catherine.

"Why?"

"I don't know," Gil admitted.

"Well I don't want to talk to her. Or read her stupid letters!"

***************************************

"Everyone's swearing today," Max commented, swinging his legs under the table. 

"Like who?" Lizzy asked.

"Mom and Dad both said hell."  
Catherine rolled her eyes. "Max…"

"Does that mean we can say it?"

"No," Gil said firmly.

"But…"

"Max…" Gil warned.

Max grumbled and stabbed his peas with his fork.

"What about hells bells?" Jamie asked. "I've heard people say that before."

"No, not that either," Catherine replied.

"Who was that lady?" Max finally asked.

Catherine and Grissom shared glances. Matthew was silent. Lizzie knew who Sara was, but Jamie and Max only knew that Catherine wasn't Matt's real mommy.

"She was someone we used to work with a long time ago," Gil finally said.

"Did you like her?" Jamie inquired.

"She was a very good CSI," Gil replied.

"That's the grown-up way of saying they didn't like her," Max grinned.

"Max," Gil said. "Behave yourself."

"It's true! I heard it from Bobby Livingstone!"

Jamie rolled his eyes. "Bobby Livingstone was the one that told you that our mom was hot, right?"

Max wrinkled his nose. "Yeah. Ew."  
"Thanks a lot," Catherine grinned.

"I think you're hot," Gil told her, leaning across and kissing her gently.

"EWWW!!" Max cried.

**************************************

Catherine took deep shuddering breaths as she snuggled into her husband's arms. "It's nice to know you still think I'm hot."

Gil kissed her damp forehead. "I will always think you're hot. Even when we're old and creaky."  
Catherine giggled and playfully punched his shoulder. "Speak for yourself old man!"

"Old?" Gil rolled over and hovered above her, bending down and kissing her gently. "I'll show you old!"

Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him into a deeper kiss. "Let's see if you can handle another round."

***********************

Sara opened the door to her hotel room and raised an eyebrow. "Hi, Matthew."  
Matthew sighed. "Hi. I can't stay too long. Mom and Dad don't know I'm here."

Sara opened the door a little wider, letting him come in. Matthew surveyed the room.

"This is where you left me."

"It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."

"Think of how it was for me. I was five years old and you promised me you'd be right back. I was there for two days, and even after asking mom to come and get me, I still believed you'd come back for me."

"I'm your mother."

Matt sat down on the couch. "Stop saying that. You haven't been my mother for ten years. I don't even know if you were my mother when I was little."

Sara closed her eyes. "That hurt."

"Yeah, well so does you being here." He looked up at her. "What do you want? Why are you back here? To ruin my parent's marriage?" He folded his arms. "I know that you wanted him back. Well you can't have him! He loves my mom and he always has! Even when he was with you!"

"Who told you that?" Sara asked bitterly. "Catherine? What would she know?"

"A whole lot more than you!" Matt said, getting up. "And no, she didn't tell me! But I'm not stupid! I've read stuff about them and I know how much he has always loved her! And I'm her son! I'm hers!"

Sara gripped his arm. "No you're not! You're mine! I carried you for nine months and I raised you! You're mine!"

Matt wriggled in her grasp, hot tears springing at his eyes. "No I'm not! Let me go!"

"You think Catherine really thinks of you as her own? Don't you think it has to kill her everyday that I am your mother? Don't you realize that her other kids are much more important, because they're hers and Grissom's?"

"It's not true!"

"Yes it is, Matthew! That's why I'm back here. Because I want you to get equal treatment. Because I want you back!"

"I don't want you! I want my mom!"

"I'm your mom!"

"Let me go!" Matthew cried, finally escaping her grasp and racing out the door.

***********************************

Catherine snuggled closer, her head lying in Gil's lap, as they watched Harry Potter for the millionth time with Max, Jamie and Lizzie.

They heard the door slam, and Catherine jerked up.

"Matt? Is that you? Where have you been?"

"Nowhere!" came the angry reply, and they heard his door slam.

"Maybe he got expelled," Jamie mused, munching on his popcorn.

"Or maybe he used magic when he wasn't 'sposed to!" Max suggested, his eyes glued to the screen.

"You're both so immature," Lizzie said, rolling her eyes.

"Am not! You're only watching this cause you like to drool over Oliver Wood!" Jamie told her.

Max giggled. "Yeah, I can see some drool now!"

"Behave yourselves," Catherine warned. She turned to Grissom. "Should I go talk to him?"

Gil shook his head. "I will. Maybe it's a man thing."

Catherine grinned and pinched his butt as he stood up. "My studly man."

Gil rolled his eyes and kissed her. "Save me a seat."

"Always," Catherine replied.

*******************************

Gil knocked on his son's door. "Matt?"

"Go away."  
Gil opened the door. "I can't do that, Matt."

"What do you want?"

"What's the matter?"  
"Nothing."

"You've been out for a while."

"Am I being grounded?"

"No, your mother and I just wondered if you were okay."

"Does she care?"

Gil frowned. "Be very careful, Matt."

"Why? I understand if she doesn't care. I mean, I'm not her real kid or anything. Why shouldn't she hate me? I'm Sara's kid."

"You're treading on very thin ice, young man."

"Everyone is so full of shit! I mean god! You knocked Sara up with me when you were in love with my mom! And then she dumps me here because she can't handle me! What did you bribe Catherine with to keep me here? Huh?"

Gil's face was thunderous. "I think you better stay up here until you can apologise. And don't you dare say anything like this to your mother." He stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

***********************************

Part 3  



	3. 3

Part 3 

"What's going on?" Catherine asked, walking onto the back porch, where Gil was taking deep breaths of the evening air.

He kissed her gently. "Nothing."

She narrowed her eyes and took his face in her hands. "Don't lie to me, Gil. We've been together too long for that."

"I think Matthew has started his rebellious teenage years."

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

Grissom shrugged. "Call it father's intuition."

##########################

"Morning, Matt," Catherine smiled, as her son came into the kitchen for breakfast.

Max and Lizzie were already there. Max dipped his cereal bowl and started slurping the milk.

"Max Grissom you stop that this instant!"

Max grinned sheepishly. "Yes mom."

"Did you sleep well last night?" Catherine asked Matt, thinking perhaps he hadn't heard her.

There was silence.

She frowned slightly, watching him sit down.

"Morning Max, Lizzie," Matt said sullenly and poured himself a glass of milk.

Catherine was in shock. This was certainly a change from her fun loving fifteen year old that had lived in her house the day before.

"Jamie!" she called her other son, trying to ignore the hurt inside her.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Jamie said, sliding into a seat.

"I'm here too," Gil murmured softly, his arms snaking around Catherine's waist.

"So I can tell," Catherine whispered back. "And just where have you been?"

"All by my lonesome in the shower," he whispered in her ear.

Catherine smirked. "Perhaps we can remedy that later."

"Perhaps," Gil winked, sitting at the table.

"Hey Dad, can I have $29.99?" Max asked.

Gil narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"I wanna buy a rocket launcher."

Catherine looked at Gil. Gil looked at Catherine.

"Max, I think rocket launchers cost more than $29.99," Jamie commented.

"Nuh-uh. There's some selling on ebay."

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Since when have you been surfing ebay?"

Max shrugged. "Everyone does it."

"I'm finished," Matt said, pushing his plate away. "Gotta go get ready for school."

Catherine and Gil shared a worried look as Matt disappeared upstairs.

"Who'd want to get ready for school?" Max muttered.

"I think you would," Catherine said, reminding him.

Max smiled at her sheepishly. "Absolutely. Cause I love school. Best place in the world. Gonna go get ready for it now…" He slid off his chair and raced upstairs.

When the two other kids had disappeared, Catherine sat down beside her husband. "Is this more of Matt's teenage rebellion years?"

Gil sighed. "I don't know. When he came home yesterday, he was in a very bad mood, saying all kinds of things he shouldn't have."

"Such as?"

"Nothing important."

Catherine narrowed her eyes. "I know when you're keeping something from me, Gil. This would be one of those times."

Gil groaned. "You know me too well. It's annoying."

Catherine leaned over and kissed him, her lips lingering on his. "Really?"

"You're trouble, you know that?"

"Mhm." Catherine sipped her coffee. "So tell me everything. And I mean everything."

"He got some ridiculous idea from somewhere that you hate him and I bribed you to keep him and that you love him less than the other kids."

Catherine hmphed. "Well that's just ridiculous."

"That's what I told him. He wasn't really listening though."

"Well where did he get that idea from?"

"He wouldn't tell me."

With another of her hmphs, Catherine stood up. "We'll see about that."

#######################

"It's open," came Matthew's grumble.

Catherine walked in. "Who gave you this ridiculous idea that I hate you, that Gil bribed me to keep you and that I love you less than the other kids? Because I'm going to kill them."

"Isn't it true?"

"I can't believe you just asked me that."

Matthew sat on his bed. "It's a simple question."

"It's a stupid question."

"So now I'm stupid?"

Catherine frowned at him. "You know I meant nothing of the sort. Who told you all this nonsense?"

"Sara," Matthew finally mumbled.

Catherine's eyes widened and then her face turned into one of fury, one that Matthew knew to be afraid of…very afraid of.

"I'll kill her."

She stalked downstairs muttering things to herself, and grabbed her coat off the hook. Before she could leave the house, Gil put his hand on her shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to murder Sara Sidle."

"Huh?"

Catherine turned to her husband. To his surprise, tears were streaming down her face. "She was the one that told Matthew I hated him! She told him that I loved him less than the other kids and that you had to bribe me to keep him! I love that child more than anything! She has no right in saying any of that, particularly after what she did to that kid!"

"Mom?" came Max's little voice.

"Go upstairs, Max," Gil ordered him.

#######################

Max stomped into Matthew's room and pushed him off the bed.

"HEY!" Matt cried. "What was that for?"

"Because you're a jerk!" Max yelled back.

"What did I do to you?"  
  
"Mom's crying downstairs! You made her cry!"  
  
"So you came up here and pushed me off my bed?" 

"You deserve it! I hate you! You're a rotten brother!"

#######################

Lizzie clattered downstairs. "Mom! Dad!"

"Not now, Elizabeth," Gil said sternly, looking up from where and Cath were sitting on the couch.

"Max and Matthew are fighting!"

########################

The two were upstairs in an instant, Gil grabbing hold of Matthew while Catherine got Max.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Gil growled.

"He started it," Matt said, pointing at Max.

"You're a jerk and a rotten brother!" Max yelled.

"Okay, how about you come with me?" Catherine said to Max.

########################

Matthew shrugged his shoulders out of Gil's grip. "He just went psycho on me!"

"That's no excuse to fight with him. He's smaller and younger than you. And you both know better than to fight," Gil reprimanded.

"He started it!"

######################

"What's gotten into you?" Catherine asked her son. "You know you're not allowed to fight with anyone, let alone your own brother!"

"He's a rotten brother and a jerk!"

"Why on earth would you say that?"

"Because he made you cry!"

Catherine sighed and sat on the bed, pulling Max into his arms. "Max, you can't just beat up your brother because he made me cry. I cry at a lot of things. I cry at movies sometimes. Are you going to beat up the makers of the movie?"

"Can I?"

"No, you can not." She stroked his hair. "Max, honey, you can't beat up your brother. Not even if he makes me cry. Understand?"

Max shrugged. "I guess so."

"Good. Now you and I are going into Matt's room, and the two of you are going to shake hands and make up." Catherine stared her son down. "No arguments."

#########################

Catherine and Gil watched the two kids shake hands.

"Okay, now Matt and I need to have a chat," Catherine said, shooing the other two out and shutting the door.


	4. 4

Part 4 

Catherine sat down on Matt's desk chair, and scooted over closer to the bed. "You know what I want to talk about, don't you?"

"Yes."

"How could you possibly think I love you any less than your brothers and sisters?"

"Because they AREN'T my brothers and sisters," Matt said. "That's the whole point."

"Your father and I have always treated you all like equals, and they have been brought up as your brothers and sisters! I don't understand how you could listen to this idiotic drivel that tells you otherwise! Besides, if you remember, Lindsey isn't Gil's real daughter, but he certainly thinks of her that way. Just how I think of you as my son."

Matt looked thoroughly subdued. "So, you don't love them more than me?"

"Trust me, I have plenty of love to go around," Catherine assured him. "So no more of this ridiculous stuff, okay?"

Matt nodded. "Okay."

Catherine smiled at him. "So, how about giving your mom a hug? I mean, since no one is around to see?"

Matt grinned and hugged her. "Sorry, Mom."

"Nothing to be sorry about. Just come to me first next time, okay?"

Matt nodded. "Sure."

############################

Catherine and Grissom were snuggled up together on the couch, watching a movie when a smiling Max appeared in front of their TV screen.

"Max…" Gil growled, pausing the DVD. "Do we pop up in front of the movie screen when you're watching a movie."

Max nodded. "Yeah, and then you tell me to clean my room or do my homework."

"But we always say 'Excuse me,'" Catherine pointed out.

"Can I ask a question?"

"No, we will not tie you to the car and drag you and your bike down the I-95," Gil replied.

"No, wasn't that one," Max said. "Although that offer is still open."

"And no, you can't dive from the roof into the pool," Catherine told him.

"Nope, wasn't that either, but I'm still open to debate."

"Max…" Catherine warned.

"Okay, okay. I want you guys to come to school and talk about your job and then take the entire class to the CSI headquarters!"

Catherine and Gil glanced at each other, then back at their son.

"You want us to what?"

"Jenny's mom is an actress and she's taking the whole class to a film set! And then we're going to a zoo and a fire station! But I reckon my parent's jobs are the coolest!"

"Cool," Gil smiled.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "And your teacher is really okay with this?"

Max grinned even wider. "She's ecstatic!"

Catherine and Gil exchanged glances.

"I'll ring her tomorrow," Gil said.

##########################

Matt walked out of the school with his friends and frowned when he saw Sara standing to one side. He said goodbye to his friends and jogged over to her.

"Are you stalking me now?"

Sara sighed. "I just wanted to talk to you without getting you in trouble."

Matt switched his backpack to the other shoulder. "I wasn't in trouble. And you were out of line. You shouldn't have said those things about mom. It wasn't fair."

"I want to see you more, Matthew. I want to get to know you."

"Why? And don't say because I'm your son."

"Because I just do."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Great excuse."

Sara gripped his arm hard. "Hey. No matter what you may think of me, I'm still your mother and you've got no right to talk to me like that."

"Let me go," Matt said, jerking his arm around.

Sara released her grip. "Don't make me go to the authorities."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

##########################

Max skipped around the room. "Mom and Dad are taking my class to the morgue!" he cried.

"We are NOT going to the morgue," Catherine said firmly. "We're going to CSI headquarters."

"We're going to the morgue," Max whispered into Jamie's ears.

Jamie rolled his eyes.


	5. 5

Part 5 

"First you have to come to class and talk about your jobs," Max explained. "Then we all get to go to CSI." He wrinkled his nose. "And you're not allowed to say anything embarrassing, like you did when you went to Lizzy's class."  
  
"That's not fair," Grissom grumbled. "How was I supposed to know she had a crush on that kid? Besides, he was a horrible snotty little boy."

"Gil," Catherine chastised.

"He was a hunk," Lizzy growled. "And you totally ruined any chance I had with him."

"You can't have a boyfriend. Wait till you're forty and then we'll review," Gil replied.

Lizzy let out an exasperated noise and rolling her eyes, headed upstairs.

"Anyway, you understand?" Max asked.

"Sure, we understand," Catherine smiled.

"Great! This is gonna be so much fun!" Max cried, racing upstairs.

Jamie looked at his parents. "Do you have any idea what you guys are getting yourselves into?"

"Huh?"

"Those kids in his class. They're monsters. Insane. Think Max and then think of thirty Max's."

Catherine and Grissom exchanged glances.

###############################

"You've got a good case, Ms Sidle," the lawyer murmured. "As the biological mother and being in a financially stable position. How many children did you say Dr and Mrs. Grissom have?"

"Five, including Matt. But one isn't living at home."

"Good. Very good."

###############################

"I gotta introduce you. So you guys just sit up the back until the teacher calls, okay?" Max asked.

Catherine and Gil nodded solemnly.

They went up the back and Catherine giggled as she watched Gil trying to sit down on a fourth-grader's chair. He glared at her for a moment then contented himself with leaning against the wall beside her.

"Alright everyone, today Max has brought his mom and dad along to talk to us," Mrs. Grendell explained. "Max?"

Max walked proudly up to the front of the class. "My dad's name is Dr. Gilbert Grissom and my mom is Mrs. Catherine Grissom." He pointed out his parents. "They work as criminal investigators. My dad works in eto…entom…he works with bugs and sometimes he uses them to tell how long a person has been dead."

There were the usual sounds of disgust from the girls, and the 'cool'! from the boys.

"My mom looks at blood and she can tell you what happened from the way it spatters all over the room!" Max grinned, really getting into the "grossness" of his parent's jobs.

Once again, a disgusted noise from the girls and a "cool!" from the boys.

"Mom and Dad brought their kits with them today to show us all the cool stuff in them and how they use the stuff," Max said, beckoning his parents up.

Gil felt slightly uncomfortable as he stood in front of the thirty nine-year-olds, and when a kid stuck his hand up, Gil glanced at Catherine for help.

"Yes?" Catherine asked, totally calm.

"Do you get to look at dead people?"

"Yes," Catherine answered.

Another hand shot up. Catherine encouraged Gil to answer.

"Yes," Gil said, terrified.

"Did you bring a dead body with you?"

"No," Gil replied firmly.

Up went another hand.

"Yes?" Catherine said.

"Did you bring parts of a dead body with you? Like a head or a foot?"

"No," Catherine told him.

#################################

"I thought one Max was tiring," Catherine said, leaning against her husband as they walked through the door. "Turns out they're all like Max!"

"I can't believe that snotty little kid got his hand stuck in the fingerprint powder jar," Gil grumbled.

Catherine giggled. "And now his hand is bright green."

Gil grinned. "That was pretty funny, wasn't it?"

Catherine narrowed her eyes. "So much so, I'd almost think you did it on purpose."

Gil feigned shock. "Catherine Grissom! I can't believe you'd think such a terrible thing about your husband!"

"Sure, Gil. I believe you." Catherine leant up and kissed his cheek. "You're just a bundle of trouble at heart."

"How on earth could you think that?" Gil asked, surprised.

"Because I'm married to you," she replied. "I know all your tricks, Mister."

"All of them?" Gil asked, raising an eyebrow.

Catherine smiled. "What…you think you have some tricks you haven't shown me yet?"

Catherine squealed with delight and surprise as Gil picked her up in his arms. He put her over his shoulder.

"Gil Grissom! You're going to hurt your back!" she protested. Her hands swatted at his butt. "Put me down this instant!"

"No," Gil replied stubbornly, taking her upstairs. He tossed her on the bed with an "oof" from Catherine.

She scrambled up the bed and glared at him. "What on earth was that about?"

He grinned at her and crawled up the bed. "You said to show you I had some tricks you hadn't seen yet." Gil bent down and kissed her gently.

"Kids," Catherine moaned, as the kisses deepened.

"Locked door," Gil replied. "And it's not as if they don't know where they came from."

Catherine giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

##################################

Lizzie raised an eyebrow as Jamie and Max sneaked past her.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing," Max said, giving her a big smile.

"When you smile at me for any reason, something's wrong," Lizzie told him.

"Not true! I smiled at you on your birthday!" Max grinned.

"Yeah, right after you gave me a frog."

"Well, I thought you'd want a prince," he reasoned.

"What are you up to?" Lizzie asked, ignoring Max and looking at Jamie.

"Nothing," Jamie answered.

"If you blow up Mom's CSI kit again, she's gonna kill you," Lizzie reminded him. "Those things aren't cheap."

Jamie groaned. "For the last time, it was an accident!"

"You used her kit as a base for a piñata that exploded with a time device. What did you THINK was gonna happen?" She frowned. "What are you guys doing now?

"Nothing!" Max cried. "Why does someone always think we're up to something?"

"Because you always are," Lizzie said dryly.

"That's stereotyping," Jamie said.

"Yeah! What he said!" Max echoed.

Lizzie frowned. "I'm watching you."

###################################

Catherine stepped out of bathroom, calling to her husband that she was out. She hummed to herself as she wandered downstairs, absently stepping over various items.

"Max, pick up your soccer gear and throw the dirty laundry down the chute," she murmured, passing his room. "Jamie, do not leave experiments lying around my house, particularly ones that include dead bugs." Catherine glanced into Lizzie's room, where the girl was reading a magazine and listening to her discman. "Lizzie?"

When no answer came, Catherine rolled her eyes and walked in, lifting up one of the earphones. "Lizzie?"

Lizzie almost fell off the bed in surprise. "Gee, Mom! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!"

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Clothes don't belong in hallways, Lizzie. Either put them away or throw them down the chute. Capise?"

"Yes, mom," Lizzie grumbled.

Catherine smiled to herself and headed down the hall to Matthew's room. She looked in, seeing him lying on the bed, reading a book., headphones on.

"Hey."

Matt looked up and grinned. "Hey mom. What did I leave in the hallway?"

"Shoes, clothes," Catherine listed off. She smiled. "Let me guess, Metallica?"

Matt grinned. "They're cool."

Catherine grinned back. "Sure, sure." She was just about to leave when she noticed a bruise forming on Matt's arm. She frowned. "Matt? What's that?"

Matt glanced at where she was looking and flushed. "Nothing."

"Do not lie to me," Catherine growled. "Where did it come from? Max? A fight at school?"

Matt glanced at his mother, and realised she was furious. "Sara," he mumbled.

It may have been quiet, but Catherine's sharp ears still heard it. "What?" she cried.

"She met me after school and got all mad." Matt sat up on the bed. "I'm sorry mom, I just didn't want to upset you."

Catherine walked over and hugged him to her. "I'm not mad at you, I'm not. I am however, going to kill Sara Sidle."

Before she could leave the room the doorbell rang and Catherine let out a frustrated growl, stalking her way downstairs.

Matt, knowing that serious damage was about to be done, went in search of his father.

#################################

Grissom raced downstairs looking for Catherine. He finally found her, sitting silently in the lounge room, a piece of paper in her hands. She was staring blankly into space and didn't answer him when he called her name.

He sat beside her and placed a hand on her arm. "Cath?"

Catherine jerked, as if she had just noticed he was there. "Huh? What?"

"Cath, what's the matter? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

She silently handed over the piece of paper and Gil ran his eyes over it.

"Sara subpoenaed us?"

"She wants Matt," Catherine stated simply. "She dumped him, bruised him, and now she thinks she's entitled to our son." She turned to her husband, tears in her eyes. "She can't have him, Gil!"

"Shhh," Gil said, soothing her as he took her in his arms and rocked her. "Shh, baby. Everything's going to be okay." His eyes took one more worried glance at the subpoena, then concentrated on comforting his wife.

TBC  



	6. 6

AN: Yes, Lindsey Dole is back ;) I stole her again :D

"You have a good chance of winning this."

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "I don't want a good chance. I want to know we're going to win this. I will not lose Matthew to her!"

"Catherine…" Lindsey Dole, their attorney tried to soothe her. "You have a good chance. It would be unethical of me to say anything different. Sometimes things happen…"

"Things can't happen."

Lindsey looked at Grissom for help.

"Cath," Gil said, putting his hand on her arm. "We have to be realistic. We don't know what Sara is up to."

"Of course we know what she is up to!" Catherine cried. "She's trying to take Matthew away from us! From his family!"

"We need to be as prepared as possible," Lindsey said, trying to move on. "This is going to go to court."

Gil widened his eyes. "Court? Why can't we just settle it outside court."

"Because Sara's a bitch," Catherine growled.

######################################

Gil glanced at Catherine, who was still pacing the room. "Cath…"  
  
"They're due home from school any minute, Lindsey's not here and I still don't know what to say."  
  
"Fifteen minutes to be precise, our beautiful daughter will be home from college any minute, and I don't think there's a prescribed way to do this."  
  
Catherine stared out the window. "I'm not going to cry." 

Gil stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "I know." He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "But nobody would think any less of you if you did."

Catherine turned around in his arms. "He's my son, Gil. I know I didn't carry him inside me for nine months, but he's still my son."

"I know. And we'll fight for him, Cath." Gil kissed her gently. "We will."

Catherine turned in his arms again so she looked out the window. "It's going to be hard to tell Jamie and Max. Especially Max."

"We'll help them deal with it." He held her tight. "It's all going to be okay, Cath. I promise."

"I love you," she murmured, leaning back against him.

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "I love you too, Cath. Very, very much."

"Here's the hurricane," Catherine said, pointing out that Max was racing up the drive.

"I'm HOME!!!" came Max's cry, as he barreled into the house. He let his bag fall on the floor where he stood and toed off his school shoes as he raced into the kitchen in his socks. "I'm STARVING!"

Gil grinned at Catherine. "He's so precious."

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Max! Bag, shoes!"

"But mom! I'm starving!" Max pretended to stagger into the room. "I'm gonna die of starvation!"

"Max," Gil warned.

Max rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine."

"I'll get you something to eat while you put them away, alright?" Catherine said, her hand on his shoulder.

"Okay!" Max said. He was about to go get his things when Catherine swept him into an embrace. "Mom! Need to breathe."

"I love you," Catherine said, holding him tight. "Don't ever forget that."

"Sheesh, mom, I know that," Max replied. "Can I have food now?"

Catherine kissed him on the cheek. "Go put your stuff away and I'll get it." When the little boy had gone upstairs, she saw Gil's amused grin. "What?"

"Nothing. Are you going to do that for all our children as they come home?"

Catherine bit her lip and went into the kitchen. "Please don't tease me," she said, opening the fridge.

"Cath," Gil said, walking behind her and running his hands up her arms. He berated himself for not realizing how upset she was. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you."  
  
"It's okay," Catherine replied, pulling out some things and setting them on the kitchen island. "I'm a little weird at the moment."  
  
"You're not weird," Gil said, taking her arm and bringing her to him. "You're emotional, which is perfectly understandable." 

"I hate being like this," Catherine growled. "And I hate Sara for doing this to us."

"Cath…" Gil said, cupping her face, "we've gotten through Sara before. And we'll do it again."

"Love you, bugman," Catherine smiled.

"Love you back," Gil replied, pressing his lips against hers.

Catherine moaned slightly, deepening the kiss and pulling him to her.

"EWWW! Guys! Not around food!" was Max's disgusted cry, as he returned to the kitchen.

Catherine and Gil pulled apart, but Gil kept Catherine's hand in his.

"How was school?" Catherine asked, keeping her hand in Gil's.

"It was okay. Lunch was great! These kids got into a big fight!"

"It wasn't you was it?"  
  
Max rolled his eyes. "No, mom." 

"Don't roll your eyes at your mother," Gil replied, sitting down on a stool. He took Catherine in his arms. "Did you see your brothers or sister on the way home?"

Max shook his head. "Nope."

"Home!" came Jamie's voice. "Just gotta go down to the museum."

"Halt!" Catherine said, walking into the hallway. "Why?"

"No reason," Jamie replied, holding his backpack behind his back.

"James…"

Jamie let out a groan. "There's a frog in there, okay?"

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Where did you get this frog?"

"I found it."

"Found it where?"

"A place."

"A place where?"

"An educational place?"

"James…"

"It got let out after school so I went to get it."

Catherine sighed. "Gil…"

"I heard. Come on Jamie, let's go talk about this frog."

Catherine shuddered, watching the two boys go down to the bug museum.

"Hey, mom," Lindsey said, walking in.

Catherine smiled and hugged her daughter tight. "Lindsey. It's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too." Lindsey Willows hugged her mother tightly. "Are you okay?"

Catherine cupped her daughter's cheek. "You've got a built in empathy tracker now you're a med student, huh?"

"Mother," Lindsey groaned.

Catherine chuckled. "Same old Lindsey."

"I'm not that far away you know."

"I know. But you'll always be my little girl."

Lindsey rolled her eyes.

"LINDSEY!" Lizzie cried, racing in and throwing her arms around the girl. "Another woman!"

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "I'm a woman."

"Yeah, but you're my mom," Lizzie replied, as if that were obvious.

"Of course," Catherine replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Sorry I'm late," Matt said, walking into the house. He grinned and hugged Lindsey. "Hey."

"Hey there, little guy."  
  
"Who are you calling little!" Matt protested. 

Catherine looked at Matt for a minute. "Any problems?"

Matt shook his head.

Lizzie looked confused. "What kind of problems?"

"LINDSEY!" Max cried, racing downstairs. He missed a step and was about to fall when Matt caught him.

"Are you alright?" Catherine asked, her eyes wide as she lifted Max into her arms.

"I'm fine, mom," Max said, squirming.

"You gotta be more careful," Matt smiled, ruffling his younger brother's hair.

"We're back," Gil said, coming upstairs with Jamie. He smiled when he saw Lindsey and hugged her. "Welcome home."

Lindsey hugged him back. "Dad, I'm just at college. It's not like I've been gone for years."

"It feels like it sometimes," Gil told her.

"So, what caused the red alert?" Lindsey asked.

Catherine looked alarmed. "What red alert? What do you mean?"

"Mom, it's the middle of a school week. You've never called me in the middle of a school week to come straight home…except when Max had his appendix out."

Catherine smiled slightly and stroked her daughter's hair. "You know me too well."

Gil took Catherine's hand and led her into the living room. When she went to sit on another chair, he tugged her firmly into his lap.

"Do you remember the lady that came to the house a while ago?" Grissom asked. "The one with the brown hair that used to work with your mom and I?"

Max nodded. "Yeah. You didn't like her."

Gil sighed. "Max."

"Well you didn't!"

"You remember how I told you that I wasn't Matt's biological mom?" Catherine said, her heart aching as she said it.

"But he's still our brother," Jamie said firmly.

Gil nodded. "Yes he is. And Catherine is still his mother."

Lindsey looked at her parents. "Sara's back?"

Catherine looked down at her hands, ignoring the pain slicing through her.

"She wants Matt to go and live with her," Gil finally said.

"He can't," Max said, confused. "Matt lives with us. He's my brother!"

"Sometimes mommies and daddies fight over where their kids live," Catherine tried to explain.

"You don't," Max answered matter-of-factly. "We all live here."

Catherine reached out and touched his face. "It's not that simple, Max."

"Sara's suing for custody?" Lindsey murmured.

"She's taking us to court, yes," Gil nodded.

"Well, I'm not going!" Matt said, standing up. "She can't make me! And neither can some stupid judge who doesn't know anything."

"Matt," Catherine said, standing up. "We're going to fight for you. You're our son and we'll do everything we can."

"This isn't fair!" Max cried. "She can't have him! He's my brother!" Max disappeared from the room, running as far as his little legs could take him.

Jamie gave his parents a sad look, and followed Max out.

Matt just glared at them and went upstairs. They heard the door of his room slam a few minutes later.

Lizzie sat there for a moment, her eyes wide in shock. Eventually she stood up and went upstairs to her own room.

"I'll go check on them," Lindsey suggested. "You guys need some time alone."

Gil nodded gratefully as she went out of the room. He turned to his wife, who stood in the middle of the floor. He'd never seen her looking so pale and small.

"Cath," he murmured, going over to her.

"That went well, didn't it?" she smiled grimly, turning away from him. "Our family is going to fall apart."

"Everything's going to be okay, Cath."

"Don't be so naïve. The cracks are starting now. She's doing it all over again."

"She didn't win last time."

"That just makes her more determined."

Gil ran his hands up her arms and placed them on her shoulders. He kneaded the tense muscles for a few moments then turned her to face him. "She's not going to win, Cath. I won't let her."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

Gil tilted her face so she looked him in the eye. "I haven't yet." He kissed her gently. "Trust me."  
  
Catherine smiled at him. "Always."


	7. 7

Catherine busied herself making dinner for her tribe. Gil had disappeared to check on the kids.

She was so lucky to have him in her life. She thanked her lucky stars every day for him.

After the children had gone upstairs, he had just held her in his arms. She had needed that. She had needed him.

Still did.

"Can I help? Gil asked, coming into the kitchen.

Catherine smiled at him. "Sure. I always love your help."

Gil grinned and sidled up beside her, his lips pressing against hers. "Is that because I have my own special brand of help?"

Catherine looked thoughtful. "That might have something to do with it."

Gil pushed her hair from her eyes. "You doing okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Earlier…you holding me…it helped."

"I'm glad to help anytime," Gil assured her. "We'll get through this, Cath. I promise."

"Geez, you guys still make out?" Lindsey said, walking in and wrinkling her nose.

"Your mother and I have a very active sex life," Gil teased.

"EWWWW! Dad!" Lindsey groaned.

"Well where do you think your brothers and sister came from?" Catherine asked, enjoying the teasing.

"I prefer to think about the stork," Lindsey replied.

"You're a medical student," Gil said, confused.

"Dad, trust me, no kid wants to think about their parents having sex."

"EWWW!" Lizzie said, covering her ears. "I heard that."

Gil and Catherine shared a look.

"See," Lindsey replied.

"Where are the boys?" Catherine asked, changing the subject.

"Jamie's in the bug museum. And Max and Matt are sulking in Matt's room," Lizzie answered.

"You take Jamie," Catherine told her husband. "I'll talk to the other two."

Gil took her hand. "Cath…"

"I'm fine," she assured him, kissing his hand. "I'm fine."

Catherine stood at the door of Matthew's room. She could hear Max and Matthew talking to each other inside.

She pushed open the door slightly, looking at her boys. "Matt? Max?"

The two boys looked up from where they were sprawled on the bed together.

"What?" Matt asked, anger still evident in his voice.

"I…I just wanted to see how you two were doing," she murmured, leaning in the doorway. She wasn't game to go into the room. Not yet.

"How can you let this happen?" Max asked. "It's not fair!"

Catherine felt her heart shatter into little pieces. "I don't want this to happen anymore than you do."

"Then why is it?"

"I can't stop everything. Believe me, I've tried."

"They can't make me go and live with her," Matt growled. "I'll run away if they do and no one will ever find me!"

"I'll go with you!" Max piped up.

"That's not the answer," Catherine said. "I promise I'm going to do everything I can to keep you with us, Matt. You're my son, and I won't let you go without a fight."

"Then why is this happening?"

Catherine sighed. "I don't know, Matt. I wish I did. I wish there was something I could do to stop it. I wish there was something I could do to make it all go away. But I can't. There's nothing I can do. But I promise you, that I will fight. Because no one tries to tear up my family without me doing something about it." She went over to her boys and sat on the bed, staring them in the eyes. "I promise."

Max scrambled over the bed and into his mother's arms, burying his head against her body. Catherine held him close, stroking his hair with her hand. She watched Matt for a moment, waiting for his reaction.

"I'll fight too, mom," Matt finally said. "She can't take me without a fight."

"We all will!" Max finally piped up. He formed fists with his hands. "No one messes with my brother!"

Gil stood in the doorway of the basement, watching his son. Jamie was sitting on a stool, his eyes staring into the little home that they had created for Kermit, his new frog.

"Jamie?"

The boy looked up and smiled slightly. "Hey, Dad. I was just checking on Kermit."

"Do you think he likes living here?"

Jamie pretended to listen to the frog. "He says it's not too bad."

Gil grinned. "My son the frog-whisperer." He walked across and sat on the stool next to his son. "Are you okay?"

"Matt is going away."

"No, he's not," Gil said firmly. "Your mom and I are going to do everything we can to keep him here."

"Okay, so he might be going away."

"I hope not."

"Mom isn't Matt's real mom."

"She's not his biological mom, no."

"That lady, Sara, is?"

"That's right."

"And you're Matt's real dad?"

Gil nodded.

Jamie looked up at his father. "Were you and Sara married?"

Gil bit his lip. He hadn't expected a question like this. "No."

Jamie looked back at Kermit. "Max thought that Sara was a hooker like in that movie."

Gil resisted the urge to ask which movie. "No, she's not."

"Do you love Sara?"

"No."

"But you love mom, right?"

Gil nodded. "I love your mother more than anything in the world. She's very, very special to me." He smiled. "To prove it, we have you kids."

Jamie looked perplexed. "But Dad, if that theory was true, then you did love Sara."

Gil was torn. Sometimes he wished Jamie hadn't been so smart. "Jamie…it's very complicated. Sometimes things happen in life that we don't expect. I wouldn't regret having Matthew for anything in the world. But I don't love Sara. I love your mom."

Jamie finally nodded. "Okay." He looked at his father. "I think I'm going to go upstairs and see Matt now."

Gil nodded. "Okay. Anytime you need to talk, your mom and I are here for you."

Jamie smiled. "Thanks, Dad." He hugged Gil and went upstairs.

Gil walked upstairs from the bug museum. He checked in the kitchen, where he saw Lindsey and Lizzie working on dinner. He continued upstairs, finding the three boys in Matt's room, playing video games. Finally, he entered his bedroom, where he found Catherine rooting through the wardrobe.

He walked up behind her and took her in his arms.

"Gil…wha…?"

Before she could say anything, Gil pressed her against the wall and kissed her deeply. Catherine moaned and moved against him, giving back as good as she got.

"I love you," Gil said, when they finally broke apart. "I love you so much."

Catherine's eyes widened, then softened. "I love you too. Just as much." She kissed him gently on the cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Jamie and I had a talk about love and you and Sara."

Catherine looked concerned. "Tell me more."

"Basically, our conclusion is that I love you, and as proof we have our beautiful children. And I don't love Sara, and I don't regret having Matt. Then I said it was complicated."

"Ain't that the truth," Catherine muttered.

Gil caressed her cheek. "How are the boys?"

Catherine nodded. "They're going to be fine."

"Lindsey and Lizzie are making dinner."

"I should go help them," Catherine said. When she tried to move from Gil's arms, she found herself pinned there. "Honey, you have to actually let me go so I can go help them."

"They can do it themselves. I just want to hold you for awhile."

Catherine looked at him curiously. "Gil?"

"If nothing else, this is going to teach me how precious my family is." He looked down at her. "How precious you are to me."

Catherine smiled softly at him, her fingers toying with the curls at the back of his head. "I know that. You tell me everyday."

"Just never forget it."

She hugged him, content in his arms. "I won't."

"We're going to get through this, Cath."

Catherine nodded. "I know." She kissed him softly. "I know."

Gil bent down and kissed her again. "I love you Catherine Grissom."

"I love you, Gil Grissom." She leaned up. "Forever."

TBC


	8. 8

Part 8 

"No," Catherine said, folding her arms.

Lindsey Dole sighed. "Catherine…"

"I said no," Catherine replied.

"Catherine, if we put your kids on the stand, we might have a better chance!"

"Sara's side has already asked for Lindsey. Matt has to go there regardless. What is the point of dragging the other kids into this?"

"They're already in this," Lindsey reminded her.

"They don't have to get on the stand," Catherine said. "Nor do they have to be at the court at all!"

"We want the judge to understand how much a part of your family Matt is," Lindsey reminded her. "The best way for me to do that is to give examples."

"Can't Gil and I do that?"

"Catherine…"

Catherine stood up and went to the window, looking outside. "I just want to protect them."

Gil stood up and went behind his wife, his hands resting on her shoulders. "Cath, what's best for them is our family. And our family includes Matt. Besides, can't you just see Max begging to get to go to court?"

Catherine smiled, in spite of the seriousness of the situation. "That's true."

"So they can testify?" Lindsey asked.

Gil looked at Catherine, who sighed. "They can testify."

* * *

"I know EXACTLY what I'm gonna say!" Max cried, sticking his fork out and almost poking out Jamie's eyeball.

"HEY! Watch it!" Jamie cried.

"Max, don't point your fork at people," Catherine chastised him.

"Sorry. But don't you wanna hear what I'm gonna say?"

"No," Lizzie said quite pointedly.

Max stuck his tongue out at her.

"MOM!" Lizzie cried.

"Max," Catherine warned.

"Doesn't ANYONE want to hear?" Max pleaded.

"Tell me, Max," Gil finally said.

"That she's an evil lady who I hate to bits and I hope she takes a long walk off a short pier," Max said triumphantly. "That's the censored version."

Catherine's eyes almost popped out of her head, as did Gil's.

"You most definitely won't be saying that in front of a judge," Catherine told him.

"Not even the censored version?"

"Not even," Gil told him.

Max went back to his dinner for a moment. Then he brightened up. "Hey! Wanna hear the UNCENSORED version?"

"No!" Cath and Gil cried together.

Max pouted. "You've got no sense of adventure!"

* * *

Catherine smoothed down her skirt. "This is too fast."

Gil fought with his tie. "The quicker we get this trial over with, the quicker we'll have Matt and everything will be back to normal."

Catherine walked over and started fixing his tie. "Or the quicker we'll lose him and everything will change."

"You remember when you found out you were pregnant with Max?" Gil asked, his hands circling her waist.

Catherine nodded. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it, because we hadn't discussed having more children."

"Can you imagine not having Max?" Gil asked her. "Apart from the house being a lot quieter."

Catherine hit his arm for the comment, before finally smiling softly. "No, I can't imagine not having Max."

"Things tend to turn out just right for us, don't they?" Gil pressed.

Catherine looked up at him, finally comprehending his statement. "But what if we've had our run of good luck?"

Gil bent down and his lips brushed over hers in a soft kiss. "Could never happen."

"Mom!" Jamie said, careering into the room. He stuck his hands over his eyes. "Not seeing, not seeing."

"Not seeing what?" Max asked, following his brother in. "EWW!"

Gil and Catherine shared a small smile.

"What is it?" Catherine asked them.

"Do I gotta wear a tie like dad? Cause they look like they're going to strangle you," Jamie said, pointing to his father's tie.

Gil readjusted his tie. "I wonder that myself sometimes."

Catherine sent him a look. "No, you don't have to. But you do have to let me comb your hair, Max."

"Why?"

"Because it sticks up when you do it," Jamie told his brother, before high-tailing it out of the room.

"Mom!" Max cried.

"Come on," Catherine said, shepherding him out of the room.

* * *

"They're going to try and finish all the kids today, but it depends on how many questions Sara's lawyer asks them," Lindsey Dole said. She glanced at the kids, who were being kept quiet by Lindsey Willows and Matt. "They seem to be on their best behaviour."

"They know how important this is," Gil murmured. He glanced at his wife who was watching the children. "We all do."

"And…oh boy," Lindsey Dole said.

"What?" Gil asked. He turned around and saw Sara walking down the hall with her lawyer. "Oh no."

Catherine also turned and anger bubbled up inside her when she saw the woman coming towards the family. Before she could move, Gil gripped her wrists and pulled her back into him, his arms around her waist holding her tight.

"I'm fine," she growled.

"No you're not," Gil replied. "Lindsey and Matt have the kids. Just stay here."

Catherine cursed at him under her breath but stopped struggling.

Sara looked at the group of kids with her son and Lindsey Willows. They were all glaring at her. She glanced at Catherine, who was in Gil's arms. She frowned, not liking that.

Max glanced at his parents, who were busy watching Sara. Then he glanced at Sara's lawyer, who was heading for the door. He smirked to himself. Catching Sara's eye, he poked his tongue out and sticking his hands up, mouthed "Na, na, na, na, na."

Sara's eyes widened and she went to get her lawyers attention.

"What?" Greg Andrews asked.

"That little demon is making a face at me!"

Greg turned around to look at Max, who was standing there with an innocent look on his face. He turned to his client. "Let's just start the trial."

* * *

Lindsey Willows stared stone-faced out into the room. Her arms folded, she sent a glance the way of Sara Sidle. It amazed her that the woman who had been so nice to her when her father died, could now have turned so vindictive and want to rip her family apart.

"Lindsey, how old are you?"

"Twenty-three."

"And how old were you when Matthew Grissom came to live with you?"

"Objection!" Greg Andrews cried, jumping up. "You cannot give the child that name. He has never been formally adopted."

"Only because your client was uncontactable," Lindsey Dole shot back. "Your honor, Matthew has been part of the Grissom family for ten years. He was using that name on all forms Miss Sidle filled in regarding him when he was living with her."

The judge sighed. "Mr Andrews, first of all, this is not a trial. This is a hearing. Second of all, the child's surname, although Sidle on the birth certificate, has been Grissom all his life. Overruled."

Lindsey Dole turned back to the girl in the witness stand. "Would you like me to repeat the question?"

Lindsey shook her head. "No. I was thirteen. He's lived with us for ten years."

"And in those ten years, your parents had other children?"

Lindsey nodded. "Lizzie was already born. But when Matt came to live with us, my mom was pregnant with Jamie." She smiled. "Matt called an ambulance once when she was sick."

Matt grinned back at his older sister and then turned to his mother, who squeezed his hand.

"Do you remember how Matt came to live with you?" Lindsey nodded. "Sara had come back to Vegas. No one had seen her for five years. She brought Matt with her and said she was Dad's son. There were lots of arguments about it…"

"Between your parents?"

Lindsey shook her head. "No, between Sara and Dad. Sometimes Sara and Mom. But one night Sara was just gone."

"Tell me about that night." "I was bugging mom to go to a party, and she wouldn't let me." Lindsey allowed herself a small grin. "She was right. Lizzie had a cold and was really cranky. Mom was really tired and Dad was away at a conference. The phone rang and it was Matt. Mom told me to watch Lizzie. She came back with Matt and then Matt started living with us."

"Did you and your mom talk about what happened when she went to get Matthew?"

Lindsey shook her head. "No. And I didn't ask."

"Why not?"

"They were both really upset."

"Lindsey, do you live at home?"

"Not anymore. I live in the college dormroom."

"Do you think Matt is any trouble to your parents?"

Lindsey smiled. "There'd be trouble if he wasn't there, that's for sure."

* * *

Greg Andrews stood up, doing up a button on his shirt. "Lindsey, you're not Gil Grissom's daughter, are you?"

Lindsey glared at him. "Yes, I am."

Greg smiled indulgently. "Let me rephrase that. Are you Gil Grissom's biological daughter?"

Lindsey glanced over at Gil, who gave her a small smile. She sighed. "No."

"In fact, your biological father was murdered, wasn't he?"

Catherine bit her lip, knowing how much this was hurting her daughter.

Lindsey stared straight at Andrews. "I think so."

"You think so?"

"The case was never closed. There wasn't enough evidence."

"Who was the CSI looking after the case."

"Sara Sidle," Lindsey said, without looking at the woman.

"You almost drowned that night, didn't you?"

"My mom saved me."

Gil's hand gripped onto Catherine's.

"Your father had drugs in his car, yes?"

Catherine froze. She had never told Lindsey that. Lindsey had never known. Gil also knew that Catherine had never told Lindsey about all the circumstances of Eddie's death. He gripped her hand tighter.

Lindsey looked confused, looking towards her mother and then back at Andrews. "I…I don't know."

"You didn't know that your mother let you go in a car with your father, who had a history of drug and alcohol problems?"

Catherine was grateful that Max, Jamie and Lizzie weren't in the room. "Gil," she murmured.

"Objection!" Lindsey Dole said, not caring if she wasn't supposed to. "Your honor, its obvious that Ms Willows doesn't know what Mr Andrews is talking about. Clearly it is also upsetting her. Perhaps…"

"Your client put a minor in a car with a drug addicted alcoholic, who was also suspected of abusing his ex-wife…your client," Greg Andrews threw back.

* * *

Catherine stood watching Lindsey, who was standing outside in the fresh air.

"Talk to her," Gil said, coming up behind his wife.

Catherine turned around. "I thought you were with the kids?"

"They're fine. Talk to your daughter." Catherine turned to face her daughter again. "She's going to hate me."

"No, she's not," Gil assured her. He kissed her cheek. "Go."

With a sigh, Catherine headed over to her daughter. "Linds?"

Lindsey turned to look at her mother. "Hey."

"I…"

"I'm not mad at you," Lindsey cut her off. "I know why you didn't tell me then."

Catherine nodded. "You loved your father so much. I didn't want you to stop loving him."

"I didn't help much in there, did I?"

Catherine hugged her. "Yes, you did. Just by getting up there, you helped."

Lindsey sighed. "Will you tell me? Everything about that night? Everything about Dad? When this is over?"

Catherine took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

* * *

Gil found his wife, sitting on a bench outside the courthouse. "Hi."

She looked up and smiled at him. "Hi."

"How did things go with Lindsey?"

"She's not mad. She just…she wants to know now."

"Are you okay with that?" he asked, sitting beside her.

Catherine nodded. "She deserves to know. She shouldn't have to…but now that they brought it up, I can't just close it down again. She's older now. She won't accept, "because Mommy says so"."

Gil pulled her a little closer. "Lindsey Dole and Greg Andrews were in chambers. They needed some ground rules laid, apparently."

"Good. I don't want anymore nasty surprises like that." She rested her head on his chest. "Although I have a sinking feeling that this case is going to be full of nasty surprises."

"We'll get through it," Gil assured her. "Promise." He kissed her forehead. "We have to go in, baby. Lizzie's turn next."

"And so the circus continues," Catherine said, taking his hand and letting him lead her back into the courtroom.


	9. 9

Part 9

"Elizabeth Rose Grissom. I'm twelve."

"And in a house full of brothers," Lindsey Dole smiled. "Must get tiring."

Lizzie shrugged. "It's not that bad. They're okay most of the time. Plus I have mom, and Lindsey comes and sees us all the time."

"You and your mom do girl stuff together?"

Lizzie nodded. "Sure. All the time. Well, not all the time, because it's so not cool to spend all day every day with your mother, but sometimes."

Gil gave Catherine a grin. She grinned back.

"Do you do things with your brothers?"

"Sometimes. Like, I don't hang out with them a lot, because Jamie and Max are younger than me, and Matt is older, but they're okay."

"You like living with them all?"

"Sure. Our house is never boring. I mean, sometimes you just want everyone to go away and leave you alone, but that's what our rooms are for. Mom and Dad have always said that everyone in the house needs to have their own space."

"So, what space do people have?"

"Matt has his own room. Jamie has the bug museum where he keeps all his experiments. Max has his treehouse, but he also uses the room he shares with Jamie. Mom and Dad have their own room and they also have an office. And I have my room."

"What kind of things do you like to do in your spare time? Like extra-curricular activities at school?"

"I do gymnastics. And swimming," Lizzie replied.

"Sounds like fun."

Lizzie nodded. "Everyone gets to do stuff at our house. We all have different interests, but Mom and Dad always make sure we get to do something special."

Greg Andrews looked up at Lizzie. "I suppose you were too young to remember what happened when Matthew came to live with you."

"I was two," Lizzie replied.

"Has your family ever told you about that night?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

Lizzie shrugged. "I don't know. I never asked. It's not important. Matt's my brother."

"Not biologically."

"So?"

Gil stifled a smile. His daughter was enjoying sparring with Andrews. Just like her mother, he thought to himself.

"How long have you known that your mother wasn't Matthew's mother?"

Lizzie blinked. "She is."

"Your honor," Greg whined to the judge.

Judge Barton looked at Andrews. "Clarify the question."

Greg Andrews turned to Lizzie. "How long have you known that your mother wasn't Matthew's biological mother?"

"I don't know," Lizzie replied. "I just know."

"How long have you known that Ms Sidle is Matthew's biological mother?"

"Same amount of time, I guess," Lizzie replied.

* * *

"Wasn't I great!" Lizzie said, grinning at her mother. "That guy is such a loser."

Catherine blinked. Her daughter was turning into a teenager. "Well, yes, he is." She kissed her daughter on the head. "You did great, honey."

"Do I really have to go back to school now?" she asked. "I want to stay and look after you."

Catherine hugged her daughter tight. "You have to go back to school. And I'll be fine. I've got your dad to look after me."

Lizzie looked up at her mother. "Are you sure?"

Catherine nodded. "I'm positive." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Promise."

* * *

"The judge won't do any more today," Lindsey Dole told Catherine and Gil. "Two is quite enough for him and everyone else I think."

"So he'll want Jamie and Max next time?" Catherine asked, her eyes glancing over to where the two boys were eating some crackers each.

Lindsey nodded. "Yes. Jamie first and then Max."

"Then what?"

"Then it'll be Matthew, then you Catherine, then Gil and then Sara. Probably in that order."

"Okay. We can do that, right Cath?" Gil turned to his wife, who was intent on watching her sons.

"Cath?"

"Hm?" she asked, turning back from the window. "What?"

"We'll be fine with testifying."

Catherine nodded. "Yes."

Gil watched her for a moment then turned back to Lindsey Dole. "Do we need to stay for anything else? Can I take Cath and the kids home now?"

"Sure. Just make sure Matt, Max and Jamie are here tomorrow."

Catherine quickly said her goodbyes and disappeared into be with her boys. Max turned around and grinned at her, having neatly turned two crackers into two fangs.

"Max."

"What? Don't ya like them?" he asked, grinning widely.

"You look stunning," Catherine said, pressing a kiss to his head. "Go show your dad."

Max scampered out of the room in the direction of where Grissom was.

Jamie turned to his mother and shook his head.

"What?" Catherine asked, worried that the little boy was upset about something.

"He's going to end up a juvenile delinquent."

Catherine smirked. "Yeah, but he'll be MY juvenile delinquent."

* * *

The house was in uproar. Max had decided he enjoyed having fangs, and was now racing around the house with crackers in his mouth. Jamie had recently blown up the microwave…except his mother wasn't aware of it yet. Matt had Metallica blasting out of his CD Player, while his sister Lizzie was competing with him by having Madonna blasting out of hers.

Max had just commandeered Lindsey's bra from the clean washing and was turning it into a slingshot as he heard his mother and father arrive home from picking up some dinner.

Shrugging he stuck a ping pong ball in the slingshot and fired.

"What the hell was that!?" Catherine cried, as the ball went whizzing past her head.

"Oops," Max muttered. Flinging the tablecloth over his back that he had stolen for his cape, he stuck on his dad's sunglasses and readjusted his cracker fangs. Leaping into the hallway, he grinned at them. "I'm Fang Man!"

"Oh geez," Gil said, adjusting his glasses. He peered suspiciously at the bra. "Did you just fire a ping-pong ball at your mother?"

"Not on purpose," Max replied truthfully. "But Jamie blew up the microwave!"

Catherine's eyes almost bugged out of her head as she raced into her kitchen.

Jamie turned around guiltily, standing in front of the smoldering remains of her microwave.

"JAMES WARRICK GRISSOM!"

Jamie gulped. "It was an accident, I swear. I stuck this new chemical in the microwave, cause it was s'posed to be heated. I didn't know it was combustible!"

"Is it toxic?" Gil asked worriedly.

"Oh god," Catherine moaned, staring at her microwave…or what had been her microwave.

Jamie shook his head. Then he glanced between his mother and his father. "I'm so totally grounded, aren't I?"

"Totally," Gil nodded, glancing at his wife who was still in shock.

Jamie nodded and turned around, heading for his room.

Metallica and Madonna continued their competition as Catherine looked at the remains of her microwave.

"I…uh…" Gil was at a loss for words, scratching his head.

"That wasn't just any microwave," Catherine murmured, staring at it. "That was the microwave you bought me for Christmas the year Max was born. You said that the hardworking, amazing mother of your children should have the best microwave."

Gil put a hand on her shoulder. "It was its time. It served us well."

Catherine looked at him, and saw the grin he was trying to cry. Then they both burst out laughing.

"The…two headbangers upstairs probably didn't even hear the explosion," Catherine got out between giggles.

"Can you imagine Jamie's face when it happened?" Gil laughed.

That made the two laugh even harder.

"Give me my bra back you little weasel!" cried Lindsey's voice, as she came in the front door.

"It was in the clean washing! It's fair game!" came Max's voice as he streaked past the kitchen.

Gil and Catherine glanced at each other, eyebrows raised.

"MOM!" Lindsey cried. "Max stole my bra and is using it as a slingshot! And then he went outside and used it in front of the whole neighbourhood!"

Gil glanced at his wife. "We're going to start getting phone calls."

Catherine heard the phone ring. "Again."

TBC


	10. 10

Part 10 

Jamie sat in front of Kermit, staring at the frog. "I don't know about this, Kermit. I'm awful scared. But I can't tell Mom and Dad, because Mom is really scared too, and Dad is looking after her. And everyone else is really nervous about their turns. Ms Dole said I didn't have anything to be nervous about cause she showed me the judges chair and stuff. But what if I get something wrong? What if we lose Matt and it's all my fault?"

Catherine and Gil stood at the top of the stairs. Catherine felt tears trickling down her face.

Gil placed a gentle kiss to her cheek. "You go get the monster ready. I'll go talk to him."

Catherine nodded and headed upstairs to get Max ready for the day. Gil walked downstairs, sitting beside his son.

"Hi, Jamie."

"Hi, Dad."

"Nervous?"

"A little."

"Me too."

Jamie's little eyes widened and he gazed up at his father. "You're nervous?"

Gil nodded. "Sure I am. But just keep it between you and me. I don't want to upset anyone."

Jamie nodded. "Me neither. That's why I don't say anything."

"I understand that. But since we both feel the same way, maybe we can talk about it to each other."

Jamie got off the stool and hugged his father tight. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Jamie," Gil said, hugging his son tight.

* * *

"James Warrick Grissom. I'm ten," Jamie said, his hand resting on his pocket.

Catherine narrowed her eyes. "Gil," she murmured.

"Hmm?"

"You don't think he brought anything…living…with him, do you?"

Gil's eyes widened as he looked at his son. "I hope not."

"It must be nice having a lot of brothers," Andrews commented.

Jamie blinked. "I only have two. That's not a lot. It's a couple."

Catherine smirked.

Andrews chuckled briefly. "Of course. So, you like having a couple of brothers?"

Jamie nodded. "Sure."

"Tell me about your brothers?"

"Matt is my older brother. He's cool and we do stuff together sometimes. Max is my younger brother. He's fun."

"What kind of things do you do with your brothers?"

Jamie shrugged. "Stuff. We watch TV, play sport, video games. Just guy stuff."

"So, how long have you known that your mom wasn't Matt's biological mother?"

Jamie shrugged. "I don't know. I just know."

Andrews folded his arms. "And how long have you known Ms Sidle was his biological mother?"

Jamie looked at his parents then back at Andrews. "I…not till she wanted to take Matt away."

"Your parents didn't tell you earlier? Weren't you curious?"

"No." He folded his arms.

"If he does have something in his pocket, we're going to find out soon enough," Gil murmured, noting that the pocket was moving slightly.

"Oh god," Catherine groaned. "This is not going to end well."

"James, tell me about your mother."

Jamie looked at his mother and then back at Andrews. "What about her?"

"Well, tell me about her. Is she a good mom?"

Jamie scowled. "The best."

"Do you do things with her?"

"Yeah."

"Like what?"

"We play games and she reads to me and helps me with homework. She comes and sees everything I do."

"You're lucky."

"She's the best mom in the whole world."

"Does she do things like that for your other brothers and sisters?"

"Sure. She's always there when we need her."

"What about your dad?"

"What about him?"  
  
"Tell me about him."

"Like what?"

"Well, what kind of things do you do in your spare time with him?"

"We hang out in the bug museum."

Andrews arched an eyebrow. "Bug museum?"

Jamie nodded. "My dad's an ent'mologist. He studies bugs. We have to keep 'em downstairs, cause Mom and Lizzie don't like bugs."

"Jamie, do you blow things up?"

Jamie narrowed his eyes. "Not on purpose."

"But you do occasionally blow things up?"

Jamie looked confused. "Only if a chemical reacts badly to another one."

Catherine and Gil could see where this was going, and were both worried.

"Your parents let you mix chemicals?"

"Sure. But only in a controlled environment."

"That's very comforting. So this couple that has been holding onto Ms Sidles son for ten years allow their ten year old to play with combustible chemicals." Andrews walked closer to Jamie, who shrunk back in his seat. "Did you know that your mother blew up an entire forensics lab?"

"OBJECTION!" Lindsey Dole cried, jumping up.

"KERMIT!" Jamie cried, watching helplessly as his frog jumped out of his pocket. He glared at Andrews as he leapt from his seat. "You scared him!"

"Jamie," Catherine said, going for her son.

Sara widened her eyes as the frog made its way towards her. Jamie scrabbled across the floor, trying to catch his frog.

Gil also went for the frog, Catherine following behind him.

"I've got him," Jamie said triumphantly, putting the frog back in his pocket.

Gil knelt down in front of his son. "What on earth did you bring Kermit for?"

"I was scared. Kermit said he'd keep me company," Jamie explained.

Gil smiled slightly and pulled his son in for a hug. "It's okay now. It'll be okay."

Catherine stood aside, letting the two boys have their hug. When they broke apart, Jamie looked up at her.

"Mom?"

Catherine smiled at him. "Mhm?"

"Did you really blow up a forensics lab?"  
  
Catherine looked sad but nodded. "A long time ago, honey."  
  
"Was it an accident?"  
  
Catherine nodded. "Yes." 

"Did you apologise?"

Catherine nodded again.

"Okay," Jamie replied. "Can we get something to eat now? Kermit and I are hungry."

Catherine smiled at him. "Sure."

* * *

Max looked at his brother. "Cool trick with the frog!"

Jamie rolled his eyes. "It wasn't a trick. Mr. Andrew's scared Kermit."

Max shrugged and went back to his lunch. Then he turned his gaze to his parents. "Masdnsudbd aohash?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Gil reminded him.

Max made a big show of swallowing. "Wanna hear what I'm going to say?"

Catherine looked up. "You're going to answer the questions that the lawyers ask truthfully."

Max rolled his eyes. "That too."

"You remember everything that Ms Dole taught you?" Gil asked him.

Max nodded. "Yep."

"You can borrow Kermit if you want," Jamie suggested.

"Warrick is coming to pick you up, and both you and Kermit home," Catherine said firmly.

"I heard my name," Warrick said, poking his head around the door.

"Uncle WARRICK!" the two boys cried, rushing over to hug him.

"Hey guys," Warrick smiled, hugging the two boys close. He looked over their heads at Catherine and Gil. "How are you guys going?"  
  
"We're getting there," Gil said, squeezing Catherine's hand. "Thanks so much for taking Jamie." 

"No problem. We'll hang out, maybe grab a DVD or something. What do you say?"

Jamie nodded. "Sure!"

"Don't forget you're grounded, young man," Gil reminded him.

Jamie sighed.

"What did you do?" Warrick asked the boy.

"He blew up the microwave," Max added helpfully.

"Wow. Cool, how'd you do that?" Warrick asked. When he caught the looks that Gil and Catherine were sending him, he sobered. "Um…I mean, bad move."

"Is Kermit secure?" Gil asked, glancing at Jamie's pocket.

The boy nodded. "I'll keep my hand there the whole time. And when I get home I'll put him back in his house."

"Good boy."

Catherine hugged her son. "Be good for Uncle Warrick, okay?"

Jamie nodded. "I will."

After saying goodbye to his parents, Jamie left with Warrick.

"I guess it's my turn next, right?" Max asked, sitting back down at the table.

Gil sat down. "I guess so. How are you feeling?"

"I'm gonna be great!" Max said. "She's not gonna have a chance to get at Matt after this!"

Over the top of his son's head, Gil gazed over at his wife. She smiled at him sadly.

Gil reached over and took her hand, squeezing it gently.


	11. 11

Part 11 

"Max Nicholas Grissom," Max said proudly. "I'm nine years old." He turned to Sara with a glare. "And you can't have my brother."

Catherine sighed.

Lindsey Dole decided to capitalize on this. "Max, why are you so worried about Ms Sidle taking away your brother?"

"Because he's my brother and he's part of my family," Max said. "And she can't have him."

"Tell me about your family, Max," Lindsey asked.

"Well, there's mom, dad, Lindsey, Matt, Lizzie, Jamie and me," Max said proudly.

"Tell me about your brothers and sisters, Max."

"Lindsey is my big sister. She lives at college. I've been there to visit too. Her dorm room is really cool. Matt is my biggest brother. He's cool as well and he lets me hang out with him sometimes. Lizzie is my next sister. She likes to boss me around sometimes, but she's not too bad. And Jamie is only a year older than me. He likes 'xperiments."

"And what about your parents, Max?"

"They're cool! They came to my school and told everyone what they did. It's the coolest job! The only thing is, mom wouldn't bring any dead people."

Lindsey Dole chuckled. "Okay, Max. How long have you known Matt wasn't your biological brother?"

Max shrugged. "I dunno. A long time. But he's my brother."

"Max, do your mom and dad work a lot?"

Max shrugged again. "Sometimes. But they're always there if I want them. Same with all of us."

Catherine smiled at her son, her hand tight in Gil's.

Lindsey Dole threw a triumphant look at Andrews. "No further questions."

Andrews skimmed his eyes over the papers on his desk, before getting up. "You don't like Ms. Sidle, do you, Max?"

Max glanced at his mother, who he was sure would skin him alive if he gave his "uncensored" version. " "No," he said slowly.

Andrews arched an eyebrow. "From what I've heard, it's a lot more than no."

"I'm being polite," Max said, folding his arms. "Just like Mom and Dad taught me."

Catherine hid a small smile.

"But are you sure he's your dad?"

Everyone in the courtroom froze.

"Huh?" Max asked, looking confused.

Catherine's eyes became concerned and she glanced at Gil, who also looked worried.

"Your mom used to sleep around. That's why we're asking…are you sure Mr Grissom is your daddy?"

Max looked confused. "I don't understand…"

"Your mother used to take her clothes off for men she didn't know. Now if she hasn't told you that, what else hasn't she been telling you?"

"Mommy?" Max said, his little face starting to crumple.

Catherine tried to get up to go to him, but Lindsey sat her down.

"We can't," she whispered.

"He's upset," Catherine cried.

"We can't," Lindsey said firmly.

Gil held his wife to him, anger and hurt written in his eyes.

"You don't have an answer?" Andrews asked him.

"Your honor," Lindsey said, jumping up. "The witness is nine years old. Mr. Andrew's is purposely upsetting him…"

"His parents already did that. I'm just asking simple questions, your honor."

"I'm ordering a ten minute recess," Judge Barton said. "And I will see both of counsel in chambers."

* * *

"I wanna go home!" Max cried.

"Shh," Catherine soothed, rocking her little boy in her arms again. "Shh. I know you do."

Gil looked at his son and then back up at Lindsey. "Can we take him home?"

Lindsey shook her head. "We haven't finished questioning him."

"He's upset," Catherine said, holding Max to her.

"I know, and I'm sorry," Lindsey replied. "But he has to keep going."

* * *

Gil had gone for a walk, needing to clear his head after what had happened in the courtroom. Lindsey Dole had come out to find him, telling him that she couldn't find Max and Catherine.

Gil immediately returned to the room where he had left them. When he found both their things missing, he sighed and rang the house.

"Grissom house. Jamie speaking."

"Hi, Jamie. Is your mom there?"

"Hi Dad! You coming home soon? Mommy and Max are here. They're in your bedroom. Max is really upset. What happened today?"

Grissom sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Can you put your mom on the phone?"

"I'm not s'posed to go in, Dad. She made me promise not to disturb them unless someone was about to die or the house was on fire."

"It's very important, Jamie."

There was an audible sigh on the other side of the phone. "Okay. I'll go ask."

A few minutes later, Catherine's tired voice came on the phone.

"Gil?"

"Want to tell me what's going on?"

She sighed. "Max was upset. He needed to come home."

"The judge wanted to know where he was."

"He's nine years old, Gil! He's upset and confused. He's curled up on our bed, sleeping because he was so worn out from today. I'm not bringing him back down there. You can put me in jail first!"

Gil rubbed his temple. He felt a migraine coming on. "I'm sure it won't come to that. But we need to talk about this." He heard Max's voice call out for Catherine.

"Fine. I have to go. Max is calling me."

* * *

Gil arrived home, closing the door to the house behind him.

"Hi, Dad," Matt said, looking up from the TV.

"Hi, Matt,' Gil smiled tiredly. "Where is everyone? It's strangely quiet for a change."

"Jamie is in the bug museum. Lizzie and Lindsey are in her room and mom and Max are in your room."

"You want to order pizza for dinner? I need to go talk to your mom."

Matt nodded. "No problem. Is everything okay?"

"It will be," Gil assured his son, making his way upstairs.

When he arrived in his bedroom, he found Catherine curled up on the bed, a sleeping Max snuggled up to her. She looked up at him when he entered the room and their eyes met for a brief moment.

Catherine sighed and gently disentangled herself from her son, covering him up with the quilt as she motioned for Gil to follow her into the spare bedroom.

She closed the door behind her and leant against it. "I know you're mad…"

"Among other things." Gil folded his arms. "How the hell was I to know that something hadn't happened to the two of you?"

"Well obviously you knew because you rang home first."

"You decided not to include me in the master plan because?"

"I knew you wouldn't have let me take him home."

"Damn right I wouldn't have. Catherine, we're doing this for the family."

"And yet the one time it seems to upset the family we still keep doing it."

"He's a big boy, Catherine."

"He's nine years old!" Catherine glared at him. "For god's sakes, Gil, we promised that our past was our past and there was no need to bring it up in front of the children again."

"I can't control what happens in there, Cath!"

"No, of course you can't. Which is why I spent the last few hours assuring our son that yes, you are his daddy and no, someone's not going to come back and take him away!"

Gil felt a flash of pain again. "Catherine…"

"He's not testifying. No more, Gil. I'll go up there, you can go up there. Hell, even Matt can have a go. But I am not subjecting Max to one more day in that courtroom!"

TBC


	12. 12

Part 12

Catherine sat in her bed, feeling more alone than she ever had all the years she had been married to Gil. He had gone downstairs after their argument, saying he needed something to eat.

But he was pulling away from her.

In hindsight, taking Max home without telling him probably hadn't been the brightest move she had ever made. But when it came to their children, she was fiercely protective, something that Gil knew.

She knew that he was hurt she hadn't told him, but she couldn't help that. What Sara's lawyer had said to Max had cut deep. She knew it had hurt Gil, but she knew he wasn't fully aware of how deeply it had hurt her.

It wasn't just the rehashing of her dancing career, or the allegation that Gil might not be Max's father.

It was the intrusion into the safe haven that they had created for their children.

Lindsey was the only one that knew about her former career. Catherine and Gil had had long discussions about their pasts, and what their children needed to know.

They had decided that the kids would know that Lindsey had a different Daddy, just like Matt had a different Mommy. Their kids knew about their jobs. But they had never seen the need to bring up any of their former problems. None of them knew about Eddie, about her dancing, about the fire in the lab. Nor did they know about Lady Heather or Sara. Well, they hadn't known about Sara.

Her eyes traveled up to the door when she heard it open and Gil come inside. They glanced at each other for a moment.

He came and sat up in bed beside her, before finally turning out the light. Feeling her heart break, Catherine turned off her light and lay down.

Gil moved closer and finally took her in his arms. They tightened around her, and she let out a sigh of contentment, snuggling closer to him.

"I love you, Catherine," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Don't you ever forget that." 

"I won't," she replied, moving closer. "I love you too."

"I'm sorry for being upset with you," Gil told her. "I just felt…it felt like you didn't trust me."

Catherine's eyes widened in the dark and she lifted herself up, so that they were staring eye to eye. "I've always trusted you. Always."

"Then why didn't you tell me you were taking Max home?"

Catherine lay back beside him. "I was afraid you'd talk me out of it."

"It's starting to sound like we don't trust each other."

"It's nothing to do with trust."

"It's everything to do with trust." Gil sighed. "It's not important."

"Obviously it is," Catherine said. She leant over and turned the light on. "We need to talk about this."

"Catherine…"

"You were mad at me when I brought Max home. Is that because you think I don't trust you?"

"Catherine…"

"Stop saying my name and just answer the question."

Gil frowned at her. "Yes, I was mad with you. Because anything could have happened to you or Max and I wouldn't have known how to help you because I didn't know where you were. But more importantly, I was hurt."

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Hurt?"

"We've never lied to each other since we got married, Cath."

"I never lied to you."

"Concealed the truth then."

"I didn't do that either."

Gil let out a growl of frustration. "Catherine, you left the courthouse and you didn't tell me what was going on."

"You knew what was going on."

"I did?"

"Come on, Gil. You knew how upset I was about Max getting back up there. You saw how upset Max was. What did you expect me to do? Wait around and let him come home even more upset than he was the first time?"

"I expected you to at least talk to me, Catherine! Isn't that what marriage is about?"

"This isn't about our marriage!"

"To hell it isn't," Gil replied. "We're on trial, here Cath. Our home life, our work life, and our marriage is on trial." 

Catherine sighed. "I don't believe that, Gil. Our home life, yes. Our children, yes. But our marriage?"

"What would you look at if you were in their position? Our tax record?"

Catherine glared at him. "There's no need to be snide."

"Well be reasonable, Catherine."

"Don't talk to me about being reasonable. You were the one that wanted to let Max stay in that courtroom!"

Gil's eyes widened. "I never said that!"

"You didn't not say it either."

"So you're attacking me for trying to do the right thing?"

"You mean like you've been attacking me for bringing Max home?"

"This is not about attacking anyone, Catherine."

"Then what the hell is it about?" she asked, getting up. "First it was about me leaving with Max and not telling you. Then it's been about our marriage. Now what is it about?"

"You left with Max and didn't tell me. That's what it's all about."

"Well I apologize. I won't do it again." Catherine turned to look at him. "Anything else?"

"We're not finished this conversation, Cath."

"Obviously we are. You're upset, I've apologized. What else do you want me to do?"

Gil stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I want you to tell me why you're upset. And the truth."

"I did."

"No, you told me one of the reasons you're upset." His hand cupped her cheek. "You forget I've known you for over twenty years. I know you as well as I know myself." His hands went to her waist, holding her fast against him. "And I love you too much to see you this upset."

Catherine was silent for a moment, her eyes staring up into his. Then her head rested on his chest and she burst into tears.

Gil's eyes widened and he tightened his hold on her, one hand caressing her back, rubbing it in soothing motions. "Shh," he murmured. "It's okay, baby. I've got you."

"It's not okay," she sobbed, the physical, mental and emotional strain of the trial and of Sara's return finally breaking her down. "It's not okay!"

Gil gently lifted her into his arms and he returned to the bed, resting against the headboard as Catherine snuggled into him. "I'll make it okay, Cath. I promise."

"You can't," Catherine answered.

"I've never let you down before," Gil reminded her.

Catherine looked up at him, her tear-stained eyes staring into his. "I know. But this isn't something you can just fix, Gil." She rested against him again. "Apart from Sara trying to take Matt away from us, her lawyer terrorizing Max and everything else to do with the trial, look what she did to us!? We've never doubted each other before, and here we were, arguing over whether we lie to each other or not!" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I hate that she can just come here and make us doubt our family and especially our marriage."

Gil gripped her tightly, forcing her to look at him. "I've never doubted you, Catherine. Never. I love you and our children more than anything in the world, and I will fight for our family." He looked into her eyes. "More importantly, I will fight for you."

A watery smile shone through her face. "Me too, Gil. Me too."

He grinned at her, bending down to capture her lips with his. Catherine moaned and deepened the kiss, moving to straddle his waist. Her hands cupped his face as she kissed him, his arms anchoring her hips close to him.

There was a knock at their bedroom door. "Mom? Dad?"

Regretfully the couple pulled apart, and Catherine slid beneath the covers, wiping her eyes.

"Come in, Max," Gil said, once he was sure Catherine was okay.

The little boy opened the door and crawled onto the end of his parent's bed. He looked between them and sighed.

"What is it sweetheart?" Catherine asked.

"Did I wreck everything?"

Catherine and Gil glanced at each other in surprise.

"Of course not," Gil told him, holding his arms out to the little boy, who promptly crawled into the space between his parents. "Why would you think that?"

"Cause I had to come home and then you and Mommy were fighting."

Catherine kissed her son. "Everything's okay, Max. I promise. Daddy and I were disagreeing about something, but we're okay now. And you didn't ruin anything for Matt. I promise you."

"Just checking," Max replied. "And cause I got a tummy ache, I thought it might be the bad bug."

Catherine smirked. When Max had been little, she and Gil had invented the bad bug. They told him that if he was really naughty, he'd get a tummy ache. Now, however, she was pretty sure what it was. "Max, did you eat any candy that you left in pockets of clothes in your room?"

Max narrowed his eyes. "Maybe."

"Then that's your answer," she chuckled. "Not the bad bug. Just eating things that are probably days old and should be experimented on by your dad and your brother."

"Maybe I should make you my latest scientific experiment?" Gil suggested, staring down at his son.

Max's eyes widened. "I think I'll go to bed now."

"You sure you're okay?" Catherine asked him, as he went to the door.

Max nodded. "I'm good. Just had to double check on stuff. Night Mom. Night Dad."

"Sleep well, Max," Catherine told him, as Gil said goodnight.

When Max had closed the door behind him, Catherine turned to her husband. "It's good to know that the bad bug still works."

Gil nodded. "Not sure how much longer it will work though. Max is no dummy."

"That's true," Catherine replied. "Is there any scientific theories about bad boys?"

Gil tugged her back onto his lap. "Want to test a few?"

Catherine grinned at him, leaning down to kiss him. "I'll be your test subject, Dr Grissom."


	13. 13

Part 13 

Gil leant in the doorway of his bedroom, watching Catherine brush her hair.

She saw his reflection in the mirror, and turned. "Gil?"

"Hey," he smiled, walking over to her. "You look stunning."

Catherine looked up at him. "Are you trying to make me feel better?"

"Is it working?"

Catherine stood up and walked into his arms, sighing in contentment as he hugged her close to him. "A little."

"You don't have to be nervous, Catherine," he promised her. "You've been in court before."

"I've never had my kid on the line."

"Cath, what you say today…it's not going to make or break what's going on. We both know that the judge is going to take in everything."

"That still doesn't make me feel much better."

"Should I go back to flattery and compliments?"

She sighed and pulled away. "No. I'm fine."

Gil put a hand on her arm. "It's going to be alright, Catherine. I promise."

* * *

"Catherine Grissom. I work at the Crime lab of Las Vegas."

Lindsey stood up. "Mrs Grissom, how old was Matthew when you first met him?"

"He was five."

"Can you tell us about the night you met him?"

"I was working at the lab with Gil."

"Gil?"

"Gil Grissom. My husband."

Lindsey nodded and gestured for her to continue.

Catherine took a deep breath. "I was talking to my husband, with Lindsey and Lizzie, when Sara walked into the room."

"Sara Sidle?"

Catherine nodded. "We hadn't seen her in five years, or heard what had happened, so it was a surprise to see her again. She had Matthew with her then."

"Did you know Matthew was Dr Grissom's son?"

"No. I didn't find that out until Sara told me."

"What about Dr Grissom? Did he know?"

"No. Not until Sara told him."

"Moving forward, could you tell us about the night that you went to rescue Matt."

"Objection your honor, there was no rescuing involved," Andrews said, jumping up.

"I'll rephrase. Could you tell us about the night that you went to retrieve Matthew?"

"I was at home with Lindsey and Lizzie. Gil was at a conference. Matthew phoned me, asking if he could borrow ten dollars to pay the pizza man. He said that he'd run out of money and Sara hadn't come home from the night before."

"What did you do?"

"I asked Lindsey to watch her little sister and I went to the hotel that Sara had been staying at with him."

"What did you find when you got there?"

"The pizza delivery man was standing outside the closed door. I paid him and asked Matthew to let me in. When I went inside, I could see he'd been trying to wash up, because the floor was wet. His clothes were stacked up in a pile on the floor, because Sara had told him he couldn't leave the room and so he couldn't do his laundry."

"What did you do?"

"I told him to pack up his things and that I'd take him home."

"Did you try and get in contact with Ms Sidle?"

"Yes. The first thing we did was ring Detective Brass to report her missing. She hadn't left any forwarding address or number. Detective Brass called back that night, telling us that she was at her home. She had told Detective Brass that she had told me she was leaving." 

"Had she?"

Catherine glared over at Sara. "No."

"What happened next?"

"Gil rang Sara. The first time it was just an argument. The second time she said she'd call Matthew."

"Did she?"

"No."

"Let's talk about Matthew, Mrs Grissom. Is it true that he saved your life?"

Catherine nodded. "And Jamie's."

"How?"

"I went into premature labour one evening. Gil was at work and I only had Lizzie and Matthew with me. He called 911."

"With Matthew's quick thinking, you got to the hospital in time?"

"Yes. They stopped the labour." Catherine smiled. "He's a very special little boy."

"From the times that you observed Ms Sidle with Matthew, did you get the impression that she was a good mother?"

Catherine only glanced at Sara before replying. "No."

"What gave you that impression?"

"She emotionally abused that little boy. She was always overprotective of him." Catherine glared at the Sara. "And she used him as her pawn in her little game."

"What little game was this?"

"She wanted my husband."

"Objection!"

"No further questions."

Catherine's eyes locked onto Sara's as Andrews stood up.

"Mrs Grissom, do you like Ms Sidle?"

"No." 

"Isn't it true that you found out about Matthew's paternity before your husband did?"

"Yes."

"Is it true that you didn't tell him?"

Catherine sighed. "Yes."

"Why not?"

"I didn't feel it was my place."

"Didn't feel it was your place?" Andrews almost laughed. "Mrs Grissom, you find out your husband has fathered a child with another woman and you didn't think it was your place to tell him?"

"That's correct."

"Were you angry when you found out?"

"No."

"That's a little hard to believe, Mrs Grissom. Did you suspect your husband had been cheating on you?"

"No!"

"So you weren't angry at anybody?" Andrews pointed to Sara. "What about Ms Sidle?"

"I thought she should have told Gil sooner."

"Right. Didn't you threaten Ms Sidle?"

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Did she tell you that?"

"Didn't you say, and I quote 'Stay away from my husband'?"

"Yes."

"But you didn't threaten her?"

Catherine felt exhausted all of a sudden. "No."

"Right. We'll forgo asking your definition of a threat. Mrs Grissom, do you consider yourself a good mother?" 

"Yes."

"When you told us the details of the night Ms Sidle returned, didn't you forget to mention that your 12 year old daughter, Lindsey, took her 2 year old sister, hopped in a cab and came to CSI Headquarters?"

"I didn't think it was relevant."

"Or you just didn't want to make it look like you were a bad mother."

"Objection!"

"Withdrawn. Mrs. Grissom, your son Max, was he an accident?"

"Objection!"

"Overruled."

"No, he wasn't."

Andrews made his way closer to the stand. "Was he planned?"

Catherine glanced at Gil. "No."

"Mrs. Grissom, he was either one or the other."

"He was a surprise," Catherine said slowly, glad that Max wasn't in the court room.

"How very touching. Mrs. Grissom, how often do you and your husband have sex?"

Catherine's eyebrows shot up as Lindsey called out objection.

"I just want to gauge responsibility," Andrews said.

"Be very careful Mr Andrews," the judge told him.

"Yes, your honor." Andrews turned back to Catherine. "Do you need me to repeat the question?"

"No," Catherine said through gritted teeth. She looked at her husband, who looked like he wanted to kill Andrews.

"Mrs. Grissom?"

"Often enough."

"Very politic. So, you take a lot of trips away?"

Catherine narrowed her eyes. "Huh?"

"Let me rephrase. Do you have sex while your children are in the house?"

"Yes," Catherine answered very carefully.

"How?"

Catherine's eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

"Objection!"

"Mr Andrews…" the judge warned.

"Sorry your honor, let me rephrase. I presume doors are closed and locked during said sessions?"

Catherine felt sick. "Yes."

"What happens if one of your children needs you?"

"What?"

"Say the kitchens on fire?"

"We have smoke alarms."

"You don't take this seriously, Mrs. Grissom?"

"Not your line of questioning, no."

"Mrs. Grissom, I'll repeat my earlier question. What would you do if one of your children needed you during said session?"

"They know they can come to the door."

"So another ten minutes and we'll be done?"

"Your Honor!"

"Mr. Andrews, you're out of line. Change the line of questioning or finish with the witness."

"Yes, your honor." Andrews turned back to Catherine. "What was your profession before becoming a CSI?"

Catherine sighed. She had been waiting for this one. "I was an exotic dancer."

"In layman's terms?"

"That is layman's terms."

"Wouldn't the layman's terms be 'stripper', Mrs Grissom?"

"There are many different terms for it."

Mr. Andrews glanced at Grissom, then at Sara and then back at Catherine. Finally, he dropped the bombshell. "Mrs. Grissom, is it true that Sam Braun is paying your legal fees?"

Catherine froze. She glanced at Gil, who was looking at her curiously. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

"Could you please answer yes or no, Mrs. Grissom." Andrews smiled sweetly. "For the court recorder."

"Yes."

Gil's eyes widened and then turned hard. Catherine felt even worse. She hated that look.

"No further questions," Andrews said, turning back to Sara with a triumphant look.

* * *

"Gil…"

Gil put his hand up. "Don't, Catherine. Just don't."

"Gil…don't walk away from me."

He whirled around, facing her. "What? What is it that is so important to tell me? Obviously the fact that Sam Braun is paying for the legal fees wasn't."

"You're taking this the wrong way."

"I'm sorry, there's a right way to take this?"

Catherine started to get heated. She was tired and angry. "If you weren't so goddamn stubborn you would see that it makes sense!"

"I don't want to talk about this now," Gil told her. "Let's just go home. The kids will be back from school soon."

Catherine let out an exasperated noise. "It's just like you, Grissom! Push something away so you don't have to talk about it."

"Don't push me, Catherine."

With a frown, Catherine slammed the door of the car behind her. "Fine! Let's go home then!"


	14. 14

Part 14 

Lizzie winced as she heard the arguing from upstairs. Her parents had been silent when they arrived home, but the minute they were upstairs, bedroom door closed, the arguing began. Jamie had retreated downstairs to his bug museum, Max going with him. Matthew was outside, shooting hoops.

"I should have gone with Lindsey to her dorm," she muttered to herself.

* * *

"He's my father! The children's grandfather!"

"He's a murderer!"

"He wasn't convicted."

Gil groaned. "Even you knew he was guilty, Catherine!"

"Gil, where did you THINK the money was coming from?" she threw back at him.

"I didn't, Cath! I didn't think because you've always been the smart one with our money!"

"Guess you'll be paying closer attention next time."

"Cheap shot."

"Oh, and attacking Sam Braun isn't?"

"He's not my father."

"No, he's not. He's your father-in-law."

"We're getting off the point here."

"What IS the point?"

"You lied to me!"

Catherine glared at him. "I have NEVER lied to you. In all our years of marriage, I have NEVER lied to you."

"What would you call this, Catherine? Forgetting to mention it?"

"You never asked!"

"Real mature."

She shook her head. "You know what, I'm not discussing this with you anymore. You're so goddamned pigheaded about anything that comes to Sam Braun, that there's no point. Grow up, Grissom!"

Before she went to leave, Gil grabbed her arm. She turned, her eyes turning to pure ice.

"I wouldn't, Grissom. Don't go there. I don't respond well to that kind of action."

Gil's eyes widened in pain and shock as he dropped her arm. "Catherine…"

"Leave me alone," she said, going into the guest room and slamming the door shut. Muffling the sound with a pillow, she collapsed on the bed and burst into tears.

* * *

Although she should have been grateful for the day off, Catherine spent the next day with her heart breaking.

Her marriage was falling apart.

"Mom?" Jamie said, peeking his head into the bathroom. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Catherine replied, quickly wiping her eyes. "Is Kermit with you?"

"Nope," Jamie replied. "I have to go to school soon."

"Okay. Have you got everything you need? Lunch, homework, stuff like that?"

"Yeah."

Catherine rinsed the toothbrush in the sink. "Do you want to talk about something honey?"

"Mom?" 

"Yes?"

"You're a girl."

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "I'm glad you noticed."

"Can we talk?" Jamie asked.

"Sure," Catherine nodded, taking his hand. She was about to lead him into the room she shared with Gil, but changed her mind and walked down to the room Jamie shared with Max. Luckily, it was empty.

"Okay, shoot," Catherine told her son.

"I think…a girl likes me." Jamie took a deep breath. "And I think…I might like her back."

Catherine's eyes filled up and she pulled him into a hug. "Oh, sweetheart."

"MOM!" Jamie growled. "I'm serious!"

"Sorry," Catherine replied, pulling back. She wiped her eyes again. "Okay, tell me all about it."

"Her names Maggie."

"Okay," Catherine nodded.

"And she kind of…follows me."

"Stalking you?"

"MOM! No! Follows me."

"Okay."

"And…I don't mind her following me."

"That's good."

Jamie looked up at her. "So what do I do?"

Catherine pondered this for a moment. "Perhaps you should try and talk to her. Maybe become her friend."

Jamie wrinkled her nose. "You think?"

Catherine smiled and ruffled her hair. "Well, your dad and I were friends for many years before we got married." She felt a pang as she thought of everything they had been through together. And to have it end here.

"Really?"

Catherine nodded. "Absolutely."

Jamie pondered the thought for a moment. "Okay! Thanks mom!" He kissed her on the cheek. "Bye! See you after school." He exited the room, bounding downstairs.

Catherine sat on the bed, alone, watching him leave. She sighed, and getting up, decided to head downstairs to the laundry. Life had to go on for the kids.

* * *

"Son of a bitch!" Gil said, hitting the wall.

Warrick paused in the doorway of Grissom's office, watching his friend. He had never seen his friend get physically violent before. It bothered him. "Griss?"

"Not now, Warrick."

Warrick came in, closing the door behind him. "Actually, I think now might be a really good time."

Grissom turned around to look at him. "What is it, Warrick?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever is going on between you and Catherine."

Gil sighed. "It's complicated."

"What relationship isn't?" Warrick continued to stare at him.

Gil sat down in his seat. "We're just…things are fine, Warrick." 

"Is that the same answer I'd get from Cath if I asked her?"

Gil frowned. "You'd have to ask her."

"I'm here as a friend, Griss."

Gil looked up. "I know, Warrick. It's just…"

"The case is taking a toll on you?"

"Something like that."

Warrick nodded. "She loves you, Grissom."

Gil glanced up sharply. "I know that."

"Then whatever is going on between the two of you…you can work it out. You have before."

"This is different."

Warrick arched an eyebrow. "It's always different."

"Well this one is."

"Must be pretty bad."

"It's…complicated."

Warrick leaned back in the chair. "You shouldn't keep everything bottled up you know. Or take it out on the wall for that matter. We just got it painted."

Gil folded his arms. "You're very astute, Warrick."

"Yeah. I think I caught it from you."

For the first time in a while, Gil cracked a smile. "Thank you."

Warrick grinned. "No problem." He stood up. "Just talk to her, Griss. I'd hate to see Sara's antics cause problems between the two of you."

* * *

Catherine heard the door to the guest room open.

"Are you and Daddy getting a divorce?" Max asked.

She turned away from the wall. She had been sleeping in the spare bedroom for two nights. Holding out her arms, she coaxed Max to come in and lie next to her. "Things are just difficult at the moment," Catherine murmured. "Everything's fine."

"It's not fine! You and Daddy are mad at each other!"

Catherine hugged him. "We're just disagreeing." 

"I'm not stupid, Mom. You're mad at each other."

"At the moment, yes. But everything will be okay."

"Promise?"

Catherine kissed his forehead. "I promise." Hugging him again, she smiled. "Now go to bed, Fang Man."

Max grinned at her. "Night mom."

"Night baby." Catherine watched him go, closing the door behind him. She sighed and rolled over, facing the wall again.

She started as she felt a warm body slip into bed beside her. Catherine turned over, finding Gil's arms around her.

"Gil?"

"I love you," he murmured.

Her eyes widened, then softened. "I love you too."

His fingers caressed her face. "I don't like sleeping without you. It feels weird."

"I don't like it either. Let's not do it again."

"Deal." His lips crashed down on hers and she moaned, snuggling closer to him.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," Gil told her, his hand stroking her arm.

Catherine's hand cupped his face. "What I said to you…I didn't realize at the time how much that must have hurt you." 

Gil hung his head. "I deserved it. I should never have…"

"Don't," Catherine said firmly. "You did not deserve that. And I should have told you earlier about Sam but…I was afraid of how you'd react."

"I just…I feel like it means I don't support you and our kids."

"Don't ever think that again," Catherine warned him. "You are an amazing father. And the most wonderful husband. You provide for us better than I could have imagined." She kissed him gently. "Sam offered when he heard what was happening. I didn't want Sara to be taking away the hard-earned money we had in our account. That's for the kids."

"He's a murderer, Cath."

She nodded. "I know. But this isn't about our jobs. It's about our family. And the kids don't have to know." Her face turned hard. "I won't let Sara take away anything that you've done for our family, Gil. I just won't."

"And I won't let her break us up," Gil said firmly. His hands went to her hips, tugging her against him. "I love you more than anything in the world, Catherine Grissom."

She pressed against him. "I love you more than anything in the world, Gil Grissom."

"Our kids are in bed."

"They better be."

Gil got out of the bed, hoisting her up in his arms. "Come on then."

"Where are you taking me?" Catherine giggled, as Gil looked furtively out into the hallway.

He took her into their bedroom and shut the door. "To bed."

* * *

Hours later, Catherine curled up to her husband, her chest heaving. "Wow."

"I'll second that."

She smiled up at him, sharing a gentle kiss. "Thank you." 

Gil arched an eyebrow. "For making love with you?"

"For forgiving me."

"There was nothing to forgive, Catherine. I should have let you tell me before I got upset." He kissed her again. "I love you. We're going to get through this."

Catherine nodded, twining her leg between his. "I love you back. And I know we are."

Gil kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep, baby. We have a big day tomorrow."

Catherine glanced at the clock. "Today. And you too."

They shared a deep kiss, content to be close once more.

* * *

Sara opened the door to her hotel room and widened her eyes. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Max Grissom. I need to talk to you." Max looked up at her, his school bag on his back. "We'll have to be quick about it though. I have to get home and on the school bus."

Still in shock, Sara opened the door a little wider, and watched the little boy walk confidently into the room and sit down on a chair. "Um, do your mom and dad know you're here?"

"No. And I'd like to keep this meeting private." Max's eyes locked onto hers. "If you know what I mean."

"Um, sure. Do you want something to eat or drink?"

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not here for breakfast, lady." He leant back in the seat. "Besides, my mom and dad never told me to accept anything from strange people."

"Okay." Sara sat down on the seat "So what can I do for you?"

A mischievous and sneaky smile that was eerily reminiscent to Catherine's broke out on his face. "I was hoping you'd ask that." Reaching into the schoolbag, Max pulled out a leather binder that he had swiped from his father's desk. He placed it on the table and opened it up, revealing several sheets of paper.

Sara went to look but Max held out a finger.

"Nuh uh. Not yet."

She pulled back, folding her arms.

Next Max pulled out a pen with a fluffy pink bobble on the end that he had swiped from Lizzie's room. He placed it next to the sheets of paper.

Sara watched the process with an interested eye.

Finally he pulled out a piggy bank, placing it on the table. He rezipped his bag and sat back on the chair. "However, today is more about how I can help you."

"Go on."

"I'm offering you a proposition."

Sara arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Max gestured to the paper. "This is a contract. It spitulates the particulars."

"Which are?"

"You leave us the hell alone…" He paused. "Scuse my French." Max went back to his terms. "You leave us alone and go far, far away. He edged the piggy bank closer. "And you get my life savings."

"You're serious."

Max glared at her. "You're becoming a pain. I'd like to remove you from the picture in the most legal way possible."

"Legal?"

"Believe me, several thoughts have crossed my mind."

"Oh really?"

Max glanced at his Superman watch. "We have exactly twelve minutes and forty-five seconds to execrate this deal."

"I think you mean execute."

Max glowered at her. "Don't push me."

"Don't push you? Kid, you're nine years old! Even if I did sign that paper and take your piggy bank, it'd never be legally binding."

Max nodded grimly. He unzipped his bag, and deftly removed his piggy bank, pen and leather binder from the table. He stood up and headed for the door. "We tried it the nice way. Now, all gloves are off." He smiled sweetly at her. "Bye!"

Sara closed the door after the kid, shaking her head in amusement.

Until she saw the tarantula sitting on her coffee table.

Outside, Max grinned to himself as he heard the scream. "Oh yeah. I'm the man!" he chuckled, racing home.


	15. 15

Part 15 

"You went to Sara's hotel room and put a tarantula in it."

Max looked up at his parents. "Yes."

Gil sighed. "What have I always told you?"

"Treat spiders like you want to be treated," Max mumbled.

"And do you really think that you should have put that spider there?"

Max sighed. "He probably didn't like it."

"Exactly."

Catherine blinked. "Gil, this is all fascinating, but did you forget that Max went over to Sara's hotel, by himself!?"

Gil nodded. He turned back to Max. "Don't ever go to Sara's motel room and leave a tarantula there. Understood?"

"Okay." Max stood up.

"Sit," Catherine growled.

Max slipped down onto the chair.

Catherine sat down next to him. "You know how important to me and your dad you are, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then imagine how scary it was for me to go wake you up and then find that you weren't there."

"I scared you." 

Catherine nodded. "Very much."

Max hugged her. "Sorry, mom."

"Just don't do it again," Catherine said, hugging him tight. She pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Go on, schooltime."

Max got up and headed out the room.

"Oh, and Max?"

The little boy turned around.

"No T.V for a week."

"But…."

"Wanna make it two?" Gil suggested.

"No," Max grumbled, heading out the door.

Gil turned around and looked at Catherine, who was still pale. He remembered the look of terror on her face when she'd returned to their bedroom to say that Max was missing. The total fear he'd felt. "Cath."

She held up a hand, ignoring the tears that were spilling down her cheeks. "I'm fine. Just need a minute."

Gil ignored her and sat down, tugging her into his arms. "The kids are at school. Let it out, Cath."

"I won't let her make me cry," Catherine growled.

"That's not why you're upset," he murmured, tipping her chin so she looked up at him. "You're upset because we've never had one of our children go missing before."

At those few words, Catherine burst into tears.

Gil held her tight, rocking her against him. "It's okay, baby. He's okay. I've got you."

She sniffled, snuggling close to him. "I'm okay. Just…relieved. And mad. And happy."

"And schizophrenic," Gil joked.

She punched him in the arm. "You were being really sweet. Don't ruin it."

Gil smiled and tightened his grip, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm sorry." He kissed her again. "I love you, Cath."

"I love you too," she murmured. "Hey Gil?"

"Mhm?"

"Wouldn't you have loved to see the look on Sara's face when she saw the tarantula?" Catherine began to giggle.

Gil chuckled. "That would have been interesting." He kissed her lips. "You're a bad girl, Catherine Grissom."

Catherine looked up at him, a sly smile on her face. "Wanna see how bad I can get?"

"Show me what you've got."

* * *

Matt walked out of the school, talking and joking with some friends. He frowned when he looked over to see a woman beckoning him.

"Ah, I'll catch up with you guys tomorrow."

He bid his friends goodbye and made his way over to the woman. "What are you doing here?"

Sara Sidle smiled and handed over an envelope.

"What's this?" Matt asked, opening the envelope.

"Open it and see," Sara smiled.

Matt's eyes widened. "Metallica concert tickets?"

Sara nodded. "Yeah. I thought we could go together."

"To Metallica? You and me?"

"You think I'd let you go alone to see Metallica?"

Matt's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You like Metallica?"

"Hell yeah. They're my favourite band."

"Cool! I always have to turn it down at home. Mom doesn't like them."

"Well, I love them," Sara said firmly. Score one for her. But she was going to have to buy some heavy-duty earplugs.

"Uh, I really appreciate it but…"

"Don't decide yet," Sara said, putting up a hand. "Just think about it."

From across the road, Max Grissom frowned. This meant war.

* * *

Catherine looked up from where she was reading, and smiled as Matt came through the door. "Hey. How was school?"

Matt shrugged. "Fine."

"Did anything interesting happen today?"

"Nope." Matt paused and came into the den, sitting on a chair opposite his mother. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Catherine put down her book. "Sure you can. What's up?"

Matt handed over the envelope that Sara had given him. Catherine looked at her son for a moment before opening it.

"Metallica concert tickets."

Matt nodded.

"I didn't know you'd been saving up."

"Sara gave them to me."

Catherine's eyes widened. "She what?"

"She was waiting for me when I came out of school and she said she'd go with me." Matt sighed. "Problem is, I wanted to say yes."

Catherine put the envelope down. "I'd have been worried if you hadn't wanted to say yes."

Matt's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Matt, you're fifteen years old! If someone had given me tickets to see the Bangles when I was fifteen, I wouldn't have cared if that person were the Devil."

"The Bangles?"

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Never mind." She handed the envelope back to Matt. "The point is, the decision is yours."

Matt's eyes widened. "You'd let me go? With her?"

Catherine said nothing.

"I want to go." Matt looked at the tickets. "I don't think we better make Dad's hearing problem any worse…but will you go with me?"

Catherine's eyes widened. "Me?"

"I don't want to go with her. But I do want to go. And I want you to go with me. I know you don't like Metallica, but…"

Catherine put a hand up. "I'd love to go with you." She looked at the envelope. "But how about we buy our own tickets, okay?"

Matt handed over the envelope and nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

* * *

"You want me to do what!?"

Max grinned cheekily at his older brother. "You heard me."

Jamie looked at him, stunned. "I am not making a bomb."

"It doesn't have to be a big one," Max assured him. "Just one that would give her a fright. And maybe blow up something small."

"When you say her…are you talking about Sara Sidle?"

"Well, duh."

"You can't blow her up!"

"I don't want to blow her up!" Max replied. "Geez, I'm not totally stupid. I don't wanna go to jail."

"Max, even blowing small stuff up is illegal."

Max blinked. "Then how come builders blow stuff up?"

Jamie frowned. "That's different."

Max fluttered his eyelashes. "Just a little eensy weensy one?"

Jamie paused. "A tiny bomb."

"Very tiny." Max put his two fingers together. "Mini bomb."

Jamie thought for a moment. "Let's discuss this a little more."


	16. 16

Part 16 

Double line denotes flashback

"Gilbert Grissom. I work at the CSI Forensics Laboratory."

"Dr Grissom, do you love your wife?"

Gil stared unblinkingly at Andrews. "Yes, I do, which was why I was very upset when you attacked her on the stand."

Andrews ignored him. "How long have you and your wife been married?"

"Fourteen and a half years. So, if you do your math as I suggested, Matt was conceived before I married Catherine."

"Why didn't you marry Ms. Sidle?"

"I wasn't in love with her."

"So Matthew was a mistake."

"None of my children have been mistakes."

"So you used Ms. Sidle?"

"No." Gil looked the man in the eye. "Have you married every women you have had sex with, Mr. Andrews?"

Again, Andrews ignored him. "Dr Grissom, were you in town when your wife retrieved Matthew from the hotel?"

"Are you doubting my wife?"

Catherine was tempted to smirk from her seat.

"Your honor, please remind Dr Grissom that I ask the questions, not him."

"I apologise, your honor," Gil said, turning to the judge. "I am just very protective of my wife and family."

The judge nodded and motioned for Andrews to continue.

"Do I need to repeat the question, Dr Grissom?"

"No, I had surgery on my ears 15 years ago. It's still going quite well, thankyou. Unfortunately, I was away at a conference when Matthew was left here."

"So you can't testify as to what happened?"

"My wife told me what happened."

"And you believe her?"

"I've always believed her."

"How do you know she's not lying to you?"

"I just know."

"You're a mind reader?"

"It seems so."

"What was your reaction when you learned of Matthew's existence?"

"Surprise. But I was very pleased to finally meet him. He's a wonderful boy."

"Do you love him less than your children with your wife?"

"We don't make that distinction."

"So you do?"

"No, I said we don't make a distinction between my children with Catherine or Matthew's biological mother."

"Dr. Grissom, tell me how your children came about?"

Gil adjusted his glasses. "Did you not receive sex education, Mr. Andrews?"

Catherine unsuccessfully tried to smother a giggle. Even the judge tried to hide a smile.

"Let me rephrase. Were each of your children planned?"

Gil looked at his wife, remembering wonderful memories. "Catherine and I always wanted children. A brother or sister for Lindsey."

Catherine smiled, leaning back in her seat. She remember when she had found out she was pregnant with Lizzie.

* * *

_12 years ago_

Catherine raced into Gil's office, slamming the door behind her. She leant against it, a broad smile on her face.

Gil, startled by the slamming door, looked at her, an apprehensive look on his face. "Should I be worried about that look? Did I miss an anniversary?"

Catherine pouted. "I might not tell you the news if you're going to tease."

"Believe me, I'm not teasing. Not after I forget the anniversary of when we first met."

Catherine smirked, fingering the butterfly pendant that had been Gil's penance. "Well…you certainly made up for it."

Gil leant back in his chair. "You look smug."

"Actually, it should be you that's smug," Catherine murmured, making her way over to him.

"Really?" Gil looked proud. "What did I do?"

Catherine sat on his lap, straddling his hips. "You got me pregnant," she whispered in his ear.

Gil's eyes widened, a slow smile lighting up his face. "Really?"

Catherine took his hand and placed it on her abdomen. "Really."

* * *

Catherine brought herself back to reality, watching Gil spar with the lawyer. As she watched her husband, she remembered the complete mush he had turned into when Lizzie had been born. His face had had a look of childish wonder on his face when he held his daughter for the first time. He'd spend hours just looking at her, memorizing every movement and facial expression.

"So, Elizabeth was planned."

"If you're asking whether we tried to have a baby, then yes, we did," Gil replied.

"How about James?"

As Gil started to decide how to explain that one, Catherine decided to remember again.

* * *

* * *

10 Years Ago

Catherine was frazzled. She'd been trying to get a moment all morning to be alone with her husband, but it just wasn't happening.

Lizzie was currently following her mother around, playing the drums on a pot. Lindsey had music playing so loud that no one in the house could think.

With a growl, she marched down to the bug museum, finding her husband and grabbing his hand.

"Catherine…?"

"We need a moment."

Lizzie followed them to the foot of the stairs, marching with her pot.

Catherine paused to turn off Lindsey's music.

"Hey!"

"I need you to watch your sister for a couple of minutes. I need to talk to your father."

Leaving no room for argument, Catherine marched upstairs to the bedroom she shared with Gil, closing the door behind her. She pushed her husband onto the bed.

"Is this one of those times that you need to have sex?" Gil asked, looking at her with a smirk on his face.

Catherine smiled and sat beside him. "Well, we've already managed that part."

"You've never been one to turn down a repeat performance."

Catherine chuckled. "That's probably what got us here."

Gil was confused. "Got us where?"

"To having three kids."

"Well…" Gil paused. "Wait a minute. Three?"

"Yeah. Lindsey, Lizzie and…baby Grissom."

Gil's eyes widened. "We're pregnant again?"

Catherine nodded, a wide smile on her face. "We're pregnant again."

* * *

She smirked as she remembered the look on Gil's face when James was born and he realized he had a son.

"And what about Max?" Andrews asked Gil.

Catherine bit her lip. Now there was a story…

* * *

* * *

9 Years Ago

Catherine Grissom blinked and stared at the stick. Positive.

Pregnant.

Again.

Fair enough…she and Gil didn't exactly have a dormant sex life…in fact, it was probably more active than most couples…but pregnant?

She had a sixteen year old, a three year old and an eighteen month old.

Another baby.

And she had to tell Gil.

"Hey, Cath…"

Catherine's eyes widened and she tossed the stick into the trash as her husband came into the bathroom.

Of course, she had to be married to a CSI.

With that familiar look of concentration on his face, Gil deftly picked the stick up.

"If my memory serves me correctly, the last time we used one of these and we saw these little lines, we had Jamie."

Catherine bit her lip, not willing to look him in the eye.

Gil carefully placed the stick on the bathroom counter and washed his hands. He walked slowly over to her, tilting her head up to look at him.

"Cath?"

"I'm pregnant."

Gil's hand rested on her abdomen, the other cupping her cheek. "And you're not happy."

"It's not that…" she murmured, looking up at him again. "Wait…you're happy about this?"

He smiled at her, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Cath, we made a baby together. How could I not be ecstatic?"

"We have three children. Jamie's only a year old…I…god, I want this baby, Gil. But I thought you'd be mad."

Gil smiled at her. "I'm not. We made a baby together." He pressed a small kiss to her lips. "We can work it out. We always have."

Catherine smiled back at him. "We're pregnant."

Gil grinned. "We're pregnant."

He pressed a deep kiss to her lips, holding her tight against him. Catherine moaned and wound her arms around his neck, glad that the kids were asleep….

* * *

"So, your youngest wasn't planned?"

Catherine jerked back into reality, trying to ignore the tingling in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to take Gil home right now and relive that night over again.

"He's loved, that's all that matters," Gil replied. "We couldn't imagine life without Max." He looked over at his wife and they shared a soft smile.

Catherine remembered Max's birth, the little baby's insistence to be born and greet the world, and the cries and screams that had announced his arrival.

"He gets into quite a lot of scrapes, doesn't he?"

"He's a nine year old boy. I'd be worried if he didn't."

"Dr. Grissom, why did you allow your wife to be abused?"

There was silence in the courtroom. Confusion from those who didn't understand the complexities of the past; perverse pleasure from Andrews and pain from Gil and Catherine.

Gil finally found his voice. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do, Dr. Grissom. Your wife used to come to you with cuts and bruises and suffering from a cocaine addiction. Why didn't you help her?"

Gil looked down at Catherine and he saw the light sheen of tears coating her cheeks. It took him back to when she used to arrive at his door, battered and bruised.

Andrews was right. What _had_ he done to help her?

Catherine saw the look in his eye and she impatiently wiped the tears away, leaning forward to Lindsey Dole.

"You have to call a recess. He needs a break."

"Catherine…"

"He's about to have a breakdown on the stand. He needs a break."

Lindsey looked at Catherine and then up at Gil. She nodded. "Your honor?"

"Yes, Ms. Dole?"

"Your honor, I'd like to request a recess. Dr. Grissom is clearly very upset and agitated."

"Objection, your honor. Counsel is just upset about the new line of questioning."

"Damn right I'm upset," Lindsey fired back at Andrews. "This occurred before their marriage."

"Still goes to character."

The judge held up his hand. "I will grant a fifteen minute recess, but I'm allowing the line of questioning. Adjourned."

* * *

Catherine knelt in front of her husband as he sat on a chair in the small room that had been allotted to them. "Gil."

No answer.

"Gil, look at me."

He looks down at her and she smiled, caressing his cheek.

"What Eddie did to me…was not your fault."

"Andrews is right. I didn't help you, Cath."

"Don't you ever think that. Don't you dare," Catherine growled. "Andrews is _not_ right. He's playing with your head, Gil."

"I…"

"When I needed someone, when I _really_ needed someone, you were always there for me. Always." She leant up and kissed his lips. "It was you that got me off the coke. You who took care of me when I could barely walk with pain. You who tried to get me to call the cops. You who helped me with Lindsey. See a pattern here?"

Gil nodded. He smiled at her and lifted her up so that she nestled in his lap. "I love you, Cath."

She grinned back at him. "I love you back."

Their lips met in a deep kiss, Gil holding her tight against him.

"What would I do without you?" Gil asked, tracing the side of her face with his finger.

"Let's not find out," Catherine replied, snuggling closer.

There was a tentative knock on the door and Lizzie looked in.

"Um, guys? Are you done making out?"

Catherine looked up in surprise. "Lizzie?" She immediately went into mother panic mode. "Is everything alright? Who's hurt? What did Max do? Did Jamie blow something up?"

"Mom, Dad. Chill," Lizzie finally said. "I just wanted to come and see how you guys were doing. I know psycho chick and her lizard-like lawyer are in there conspiring against humanity in general, and I saw you in here."

"We're doing okay," Catherine smiled at her daughter.

Gil looked at the clock and then at Lizzie. "Uh, honey? It's 1.30. Why aren't you in school?"

"Hm." Lizzie paused. "You noticed that huh? Oh well, I might as well tell you. I kinda accidentally sorta got…well…suspended."

Catherine's eyes widened and Gil's mouth dropped open.

"Suspended? What for?"

"I kneed a guy in the groin. Hard." Then it was into Lizzie mode. "But it was ALL his fault! I mean, the guy totally tried to feel me up! HELLO! I'm twelve people!"

"A guy tried to feel you up?" Gil said, frowning. "Where is this guy? Where are his parents? Does he even HAVE parents?"

"Dad, chill. I dealt with the situation."

"Lizzie, you got suspended!"

"That is true. But these things happen." She sat down on one of the chairs. "So, how are we going to annihilate the enemy?"

Catherine blinked. "You got suspended."

"Ookay. Moving on…"

"We're not moving on. You're grounded," Gil said.

"WHAT? I was protecting my honor! You know, that weird talk you had with me when you told me about the birds and the bees and how you had to keep swatting the bees away because they were bad and stuff?"

"I always thought that talk was a bit peculiar," Catherine admitted.

"You're still grounded and there was nothing wrong with the talk," Gil rebutted.

"I'm going home," Lizzie decided.

Lindsey Dole poked her head around the corner. "Time to go back to the courtroom guys."

* * *

"Have a nice break, Dr. Grissom?" Andrews asked sarcastically.

"I was with my wife. I enjoyed it."

"You and your wife spend a lot of time together, don't you?"

"I love her and she's my best friend. I enjoy spending time with her."

"If you love her so much, why did you allow the abuse to go on?"

"You don't know the whole story."

Andrews sat on the edge of his desk. "Enlighten us."

Gil looked over at Catherine, who smiled and nodded encouragingly at him. He took a deep breath.

"Catherine was married before. To Eddie. He…he hurt her."

Andrews sighed. "Yes, we gathered that, Dr. Grissom."

"Your honor!" Lindsey cried out.

The judge frowned at Andrews. "Keep your comments to yourself Mr. Andrews. Your job here is to ask questions."

"Yes, your honor," Andrews answered. "Please continue, Dr. Grissom."

"Catherine and I were friends. Best friends. She used to come to me when he hurt her. I'd take care of her."

"Did you go to the hospital?"

"Not often. Not unless it was serious."

"The question remains, Dr. Grissom. Why didn't you help her?"

"I did help her!" Gil cried out. "I took care of her when she was hurting. I held her when she cried. I was with her when Lindsey was born. I loved her. I still do."

Catherine looked at him, a beautiful smile on her face. She mouthed "I love you" at him.

"If you loved her so much, why didn't you go to the police?"

"She wouldn't let me. She begged me not to."

"But you could have still gone."

Gil took a deep breath. "Because she asked me not to. Because even then I couldn't refuse her a thing. And because I was scared."

"Scared, Dr. Grissom?"

"I was terrified. I loved her so much and I hated seeing her get hurt. And I always wanted to go to the police. But then she'd look at me, and she'd tell me all the reasons not to." He sighed. "Looking back, I should have gone to the police, no matter how scared we both were. But I didn't, and that's something I have to live with for the rest of my life." His eyes locked onto Andrews'. "But what happened back then between Catherine and I has nothing to do with where Matthew should live."

"No further questions," Andrews finished.

* * *

After all the children were in bed, Catherine went around the hallway, picking up stray toys and clothes. She walked into her bedroom, placing the motley pile in the corner of the room, ready to sort out the next day. She looked over at Gil, who was changing.

"I was very proud of you today."

He looked up at her, surprised. "Why?"

"Those were some tough questions."

"They were tough answers."

Catherine nodded and sat on the bed next to him. "Thank you."

"For what?"

Catherine shrugged. "Everything. Everything you've done for me now and everything you did for me back then."

"Same goes, Catherine," Gil replied, touching her cheek. "Always has."

"I have a suggestion," Catherine said, smiling slyly at him.

Gil arched an eyebrow. "I have a feeling I'm going to like this suggestion."

"You will," Catherine assured him. She leant over and whispered in his ear. "Let's make love."

Gil grinned, nudging her so that she lay down on the bed. He hovered above her. "I knew I was going to like your suggestion."


	17. 17 AKA Honey Chicken Sara

Part 17 

Max looked at what Jamie had concocted. "You are a genius!"

"I try."

"So, explain how it works."

Jamie got out his diagram. "Okay, here's the door to her hotel room. We place the bucket of honey here. The minute she opens the door, the honey is on her. Lying across the threshold is my trip wire. I've implemented a 30 second time lag, to ensure she gets a good soaking. 30 seconds, and the pillow feathers will burst out of a strategically placed container. Feathers fall down, and we have lift off." Jamie sat back, a big smile on his face. "Tarred and feathered. Just like the olden days."

Max high-fived his brother. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Jamie turned around, the bottle of honey in his hands. "I was hungry."

"Honey?"

"Yeah. On bread."

"Oookay," Catherine replied. "But you just had breakfast."

"I know. But I'm a growing boy."

Catherine decided not to touch that. "Okay. Just put it back when you're finished."

Jamie nodded. "I will mom." He watched his mother go, then whispered. "You can come out now."

Max wriggled out from underneath a shelf in the pantry. "That was close."

"Yeah. Let's go before we have any more problems."

* * *

Max hung upside down from the roof at Sara's hotel room.

"Mom is going to kill me if you get hurt," Jamie moaned, clutching onto his brothers rope.

"That's why we've got this," Max replied, gesturing to his climbing gear. "Now stop squawking and let me do my job. And make sure no one sees us."

Jamie rolled his eyes. "You're such a bossy boots."

"Dad says I get it from Mom."

"Yeah, and then she punched him."

Max fastened the pillow. "Okay, pull me up!"

Jamie hauled and finally the boy was back on the roof next to his brother.

"The plan is ready for takeoff," Max grinned.

* * *

"He was FEELING ME UP! And they suspended ME!"

Catherine turned to her husband and shrugged. "I probably would have slugged him myself."

Lizzie pointed to her mother. "See!"

"I'm not disagreeing with you," Gil assured her. "Personally, the child should be drawn and quartered. But we have to work out this suspension. You don't really want to be suspended do you?"

"Dad, hello! Already am suspended. And no school? Why would I have a problem with that?"

Gil and Catherine looked at her.

"Well…if you put it like that."

"Okay, I'll talk to the school and see if I can work this out," Gil said, going to get the phone.

"Oh, but Dad?"

Gil turned back. "Yes, honey?"

"I am SO not apologizing!"

* * *

Max and Jamie stationed themselves in their hideout, watching as Sara came home.

"This is going to be good," Max said, rubbing his hands together. "Now we don't even have to ring the doorbell!"

Sara opened the door and a high-pitched squeal let loose as a tub full of honey cascaded down her person.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…now!" Jamie grinned, as there was a small pop, and feathers fluttered down, sticking to Sara. "That was truly beautiful."

The two boys high-fived each other.

"She looks really mad!" Max said.

"Think she'll call the cops?"

Jamie shrugged. "Probably."

"We better go. But I just have to do one more thing."

Jamie looked at his brother worriedly. "What?"

Max pulled a camera out of his backpack and took a photo. "Kodak moment."

"Isn't that mom's camera?"

Max put a finger to his lips. "Shh."

The two boys giggled, and left Sara as she danced around her verandah, trying to get the feathers off.

* * *

Gil looked up as Jamie and Max came in the front door. "Hey, how was your walk?"

"Great! I feel very refreshed," Max said, a wide grin on his face.

"I collected a bug," Jamie said, holding out a small container. "I'm just going to put it downstairs."

"Okay. Hey, how do you guys feel about cooking outside tonight?"

"Great idea, Dad! I think a little bit of the great outdoors would do everyone well," Jamie replied.

"Yeah. Maybe we can even have HONEY CHICKEN," Max suggested.

Gil watched curiously as the two boys convulsed into giggles and went downstairs.

* * *

Catherine turned around as Gil came into the kitchen. "So?"

"Lizzie is suspended only for Monday. We had a long talk, and the boy has been suspended as well."

"Good. She's twelve. I refuse to allow any boy to feel her up."

Gil walked behind her, his hands traveling up the front of her shirt to rest on her breasts. "But I'm allowed to feel you up, right?"

A slow smile spread across Catherine's face. "I'd be worried if you didn't. But you better behave yourself. I don't know that the kids would react well to seeing their dad with his hands up mommy's shirt."

"True," Gil murmured, his hands resting around her waist again. "By the way, I think Jamie and Max are up to something."

"They're always up to something," Catherine replied, leaning back into his embrace. "Are you going to man the grill tonight?"

Gil smiled. "I will indeed."

Catherine turned around in his arms, her hands going around his neck. "Have I told you recently how grateful I am to you?"

Gil looked down at her. "For what?"

"Yesterday. On the stand." She smiled. "I was so proud of you."

"I didn't do anything special."

"Yes, you did. We don't talk a lot about what happened back then, but you were amazing, Gil. When I needed you back then, you were there." She leant up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I'll always be grateful for that."

Gil smiled at her, kissing her back. "I'll always be grateful for you. And Lindsey. And Matt. And Lizzie. And Jamie. And Max." He kissed her once more. "But especially for you."

Catherine smiled back at him, before leaning up and kissing him, deepening it instantly. Gil held her tight to him, her body flush against his as they kissed.

"Uh, guys?" came Lizzie's voice.

"No, we're not going to stop just because it's gross," Catherine murmured, kissing Gil again.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But that psycho lady is ranting down our telephone."

"Hang up," Gil replied, lifting Catherine into his arms to take her upstairs.

"She said something about honey and feathers and then Max's name."

Gil froze. "Honey chicken."

"Huh?" Catherine blinked, looking up at him.

"Max and Jamie. They wanted honey chicken for dinner tonight."

Catherine frowned as she slid down from his embrace. "Lizzie, honey? Give me the phone and go and find Jamie and Max, okay?"

Lizzie nodded and handed over the phone, only to find Gil taking it.

"Gil," Catherine growled.

"I'm not letting her upset you," he replied. "Hello?"

"YOUR CHILDREN ARE MONSTERS! I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!"

"Sara, first of all, as I stated in court, I did have my hearing fixed and I'm not losing it anymore. Secondly, you're not supposed to have contact with this family. And thirdly, do not call my children monsters."

"THEY DUMPED HONEY AND FEATHERS ON ME!"

"Did you see them?"

"No," came the quiet voice.

"Then don't accuse my family of anything," Gil said firmly. "Goodbye Sara."

He turned to face Catherine, who stood there with a guilty looking Jamie and Max standing in front of her.

Max grinned guiltily and handed over a picture. "Souvenir?"


	18. 18

Part 18 

Catherine took a deep breath. "You two went to Sara's hotel and rigged a honey and feather bomb?"

"Technically, it was only a feather pillow exploding device," Jamie explained. "The honey was rigged…" he stopped when he saw his mother's look. "Never mind."

"Where did you get the honey?" Gil asked.

"The pantry," Max replied.

"And we borrowed some from my friend Brad. He doesn't like honey anyway," Jamie explained.

"And the pillow?" Catherine asked.

Lizzie ran down into the kitchen. "Okay, I know you weren't totally supportive of my movements at school the other day, but was it really necessary to take my pillow?"

Gil looked at the boy. "You stole your sister's pillow and blew it up?"

"She has two!" Max explained.

Lizzie turned to her parents. "And you've been worried about me getting suspended? HELLO!? These two are total juvenile delinquents!" She folded her arms and glared. "And I so want a new pillow."

Catherine was getting a headache. "Okay. Lizzie, you can borrow a pillow from the guestroom tonight and I will buy you a new one."

"Fine." Lizzie headed back upstairs.

"As for you two…you're grounded," Gil told them.

"For how long?" Jamie asked.

"Until we say so. You go to school, you come home from school, you do your homework and you go to bed," Gil said firmly.

"That's not FAIR!" Max cried out. "I offered Sara a contract and she wouldn't take it! I'm doing it all for the family and you're GROUNDING me!?"

Catherine paused, watching her youngest son for a moment. "Jamie, got any questions?"

"Nope," Jamie replied, hoping to escape any further punishment.

"Okay, upstairs."

Jamie ran upstairs and Max went to follow him.

"Not you, little man," Catherine murmured. "Not done with you yet."

Max stomped into the lounge room and sat on the couch, folding his arms.

Catherine sent her husband a worried look and they followed their son in. Catherine sat beside the little boy and Gil sat on the other chair.

"What's this about a contract?"

"I wrote up a contract offering my life savings to that crazy woman if she would leave us alone and she LAUGHED at me!"

Catherine looked over Max's head at her husband, her heart breaking for her youngest son. "Max…I'm sorry."

"I thought I was helping," Max finally said. "I thought if I offered her all my money she might go away and never come back. It works in the movies!"

Catherine couldn't resist and she tugged Max into her lap, hugging him tightly. "She was wrong to do that to you, Max. But sometimes, things don't work like they do in the movies. The only way we can keep Matt with us is for us to go to court and talk about it."

"But I don't want to do that anymore! It makes you and Daddy fight, and then you get really sad!"

"Your mommy and I love each other so much," Gil told him. "I need her in my life as much as she needs me in hers. And I promise you, that even if we fight, we still love each other. And we always make up."

"Am I still grounded?"

Catherine smiled. "Yes, you little monster. Because as much as we love you and we understand why you did it, you can't just go and do things like that. Okay?"

Max grumbled to himself as he got up. Catherine caught him and gave him a kiss.

"Love you, Fang Man."

"Love you too, mom."

Gil held out his arms to Max, who gave him a hug. "Love you, Max."

"Love you too, Dad." Max headed upstairs.

Catherine looked at Gil as he came to sit beside her. "This could hurt the case."

Gil nodded as he put his arm around her. "It could."

Catherine rested her head against his shoulder. "I liked the picture though."

Gil grinned. "Yeah…it's certainly a keeper."

* * *

"Your honor, we move for a mistrial and for the custody of Matthew Grissom immediately being handed to Ms. Sidle."

Lindsey Dole jumped up. "OBJECTION!"

"On what grounds, Mr Andrews?" the judge asked.

"The youngest Grissom child has already attempted to bribe Ms. Sidle. Then he planted a bomb in her vicinity."

"Approach the bench." The judge looked down at Lindsey. "Explain."

"Your honor, the boy in question is nine years old. He's going through a lot at the moment. The contract was something he made up by offering Ms Sidle his life savings, which amounts to roughly 25 dollars and 99 cents. She laughed at him, which naturally hurt his feelings. Ms Sidle wasn't hurt by the device, which was a feather pillow rigged to let loose the feathers. None of which his parents knew about, and it has no bearing on this case."

The judge took a deep breath. "Okay. Step back."

The two lawyers went back to their desks.

"I am not calling a mistrial, nor am I immediately handing custody of the minor to Ms. Sidle. I am however asking that Mr. Max Grissom be present in my chambers tomorrow morning." He looked over at Catherine. "No exceptions, Mrs. Grissom. And I am not going to terrorize your son."

* * *

Catherine went to check on her children before she went to bed. Matt had fallen asleep, leaving the light on, and she smiled, turning it off for him before closing the door. Lizzie was fast asleep, her covers pulled up so high that all you could see was a tuft of blonde hair. Finally she went into Jamie and Max's room. Jamie had fallen asleep with his book on his chest, so she put it on the bedside table before tucking him in. Max had managed to fall asleep with his legs at the pillow end. One leg hung off in the air, and his arms were sprawled on the bed, one above him, one hanging down. She gently started to maneuver him.

"Mommy?" he mumbled sleepily.

"Shh, it's okay. Mommy's just making you more comfortable."

"Love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

"Gots bad bug."

Catherine sat on the side of his bed, stroking his forehead. "It's okay, baby." She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Sleepy time now."

"Kay," Max mumbled, rolling over.

She got up and paused as she saw Gil standing in the doorway. A smile spread across her face and she walked over to him. "Hi."

"Love you Cath."

Catherine took his hand. "Love you too."

* * *

Max sat in the judge's chambers, his eyes on the judge.

"You know who I am, Mr Grissom?"

"Yeah. You're the judge."

"That's correct. Do you know why you're here?"

"Cause I'm in big trouble."

The judge smiled. "Max, why did you offer Ms. Sidle a contract?"

"Because she's making everyone sad and she's trying to break up my Mom and Dad."

"What makes you say that?"

"She's trying to upset them all the time. And then she tried to bribe Matt by giving him Metallica tickets…which are like his favourite band ever!"

The judge looked up at Mr. Andrews.

"An innocent gift from mother to son."

"Innocent my ass!" Max cried, before slapping his hand over his mouth. "Oops. Sorry, Mr Judge, sir."

The judge tried not to laugh. "That's alright." He looked up at Andrews. "I will be talking to you and your client as well." Finally he went back to Max. "Mr. Grissom, even though it was wrong of Ms. Sidle to try and bribe your brother and it's very wrong that everyone is being upset by this trial. However, it is very wrong to try and blow up a feather pillow, or any device, over another person."

"Actually, it was an explosive device. Not necessarily a bomb," Max replied. "Sir," he added.

The judge nodded. "Alright. Here's the deal, Max. Except for when you are both present here, I want you to stay away from Ms. Sidle."

"THAT'S IT?" Andrews cried.

The judge looked up at Andrews. "He's a nine year old boy. I have three boys of my own. It was a prank borne of frustration, by something that your client brought on herself. No one was seriously injured, nor was any property damaged. Therefore, it is my ruling that Mr. Max Grissom and Ms. Sara Sidle stay far away from each other." He looked up at Andrews. "As for you, you and your client will be present in my chambers at 9am tomorrow." His attention returned to Max. "Mr. Grissom, do you understand my ruling?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you accept its terms?"

Max nodded. "Yes, sir."

The judge smiled. "Very well." He stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Max."

Max grinned, sticking out his hand and shaking the judge's. "Nice to meet you too. You're kinda cool, for a judge." 

The judge chuckled. "Thankyou, Max. I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me about my job."

* * *

Max made his way out of the judge's chambers, pausing when he saw Sara.

"Not allowed near you anymore," he said. "Not that it matters. But keep your distance, pal!"

Sara's eyes widened. "You're a little monster! You should be locked up! When I get my hands on you…"

Catherine appeared behind her son, quickly ushering the little boy behind her. "If you lay one hand on my child, I swear that they will never find your body."

"You need to keep a leash on your children."

"And you need to mind your own damn business," Catherine replied swiftly. "You've caused nothing but trouble since you turned up here. I know you tried to bribe my son."

"Which one?" Sara chuckled bitterly. "Jeez, Cath! Haven't you and Grissom ever heard of protected sex?"

"At least we keep our kids and don't dump them on someone else."

"I didn't have a choice."

Catherine glared at her. "You had a choice. Just like you had a choice when you had Grissom. And you blew it. Both times."

She felt Gil's presence behind her before he announced it. He had shepherded Max away and now stood firm, ready to intervene between the two women.

"Come here to defend your wife, Grissom?" Sara asked acidly.

"I don't need to. She's always done a perfectly good job of it herself," he replied calmly. "But I want to take her away for a while. Have her to myself. I'm sure you don't mind."

"I'll be seeing you," Catherine promised, as she followed her husband out.


	19. 19

19 

"Sara Sidle."

"Ms. Sidle, can you tell us about your relationship with Dr. Grissom?" Andrews asked.

"Grissom and I were lovers."

Catherine squirmed in her seat. Gil grabbed her hand.

"The only person I make love with…have ever made love with, is you," he whispered in her ear. "Don't ever forget that."

Catherine relaxed slightly and rested her head against his shoulder. "I won't," she whispered back.

"And Matthew was a result of this relationship?"

"Yes."

"What relationship?" Gil murmured. "It was a couple of times, maximum!"

Catherine put a soothing hand on his arm. "Shh. It's okay."

"Tell me about the first five years of Matthew's life."

Sara took a deep breath. "He was a colicky baby, and he kept getting sick a lot. It was hard taking care of him while I was working."

"Why didn't you tell Dr. Grissom about his son?"

"I was so scared. I knew he was in love with Catherine, and I didn't want to hurt that."

Catherine's eyes almost fell out of her head, as did Gil's.

"So, you were trying to safeguard their feelings for each other?"

Sara nodded. "Absolutely."

"Why did you change your mind, five years ago?"

"I felt Matthew needed to know his father." Sara replied.

"So you came to Vegas with Matthew." 

Sara nodded. "That's right."

"Why did you leave him here?"

"When I saw how happy he was with Grissom, I was guilty that I'd kept them apart for so long. So I told Catherine I was leaving, and I left Matthew there."

"So, it was actually Mrs. Grissom that left Matthew alone?"

Sara shrugged. "I guess."

Catherine's eyes widened and Gil became angry.

Lindsey Dole jumped up. "Your honor, that's perjury!"

The judge banged his gavel and ordered the two lawyers to come up to the bench.

"Mr. Andrews?"

"I don't know what Ms. Dole is talking about."

Lindsey growled and turned towards the lawyer. "That was perjury you little weasel, and you know it."

"No name-calling, Ms. Dole," the judge sighed.

"If it's perjury, prove it," Andrews told her. "You can't prove that Ms. Sidle didn't tell Mrs. Grissom she was leaving."

"And you can't prove that she did!"

The judge rubbed his forehead and motioned them back. He turned to Sara. "Ms. Sidle, I remind you that you are under oath. My courtroom will not support perjury." He turned back to Lindsey. "However, Ms. Dole, there has been no evidence shown to me that supports whether Ms. Sidle is committing perjury or not. You are free to bring it up in your cross-examination, but for the moment, the statement stands."

"No further questions," Andrews decided.

Lindsey Dole stood up. With a small smirk, she cracked her knuckles. Sara jumped.

"Ms. Sidle. You don't like Mrs. Grissom very much, do you?"

"I have great respect for her."

Lindsey arched an eyebrow. "Oh really?" She walked up a little closer. "I do recall that once you asked Mrs. Grissom if she felt "threatened" by your return."

"It was in the heat of the moment."

Lindsey nodded. "You have a lot of heated moments, don't you, Ms Sidle?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh really? Then you don't remember the night you saw Mrs. Grissom and started taunting her about having her husband first?"

"That was the same heated moment."

"Right. You said you and Dr. Grissom had a relationship and that you were lovers?"

"That's right."

"How many times did you have sex?"

Sara blinked. "Huh?"

"How many times did you have sex?"

"Twice."

"Twice. What happened the first time?"

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it true that the first time Dr. Grissom called you something else?"

Sara frowned. "Yes."

"Would you mind enlightening the rest of us as to what he called you?"

Sara fidgeted. "Catherine."

"Ouch. That had to hurt. So, you had sex a second time and then all of a sudden it stopped. Why?"

"What?"

"Who broke it off? You or Dr. Grissom?"

"I did."

"That's right, you did. You left town. Poof!" Lindsey snapped her fingers and made Sara jump again. "Just like that."

"Yes."

"Why did you leave town?"

"I was pregnant."

"To Dr. Grissom?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell him?"

"No."

"So you left town, pregnant and didn't tell Daddy to be?"

"No. He was in love with Catherine."

Lindsey smirked. Gotcha, she thought. "Ms. Sidle, you were talking earlier about safeguarding a relationship. Who's relationship was that again?"

"Grissom and Catherine's."

Lindsey looked confused. "That's funny. Grissom and Catherine weren't in a relationship when you left. In fact, Catherine was acting as supervisor while Grissom was on leave." She smirked at the look on Sara's face. "In fact, it was two weeks after Dr. Grissom's surgery that their relationship began, and you had left before the surgery was even done."

"I…" Sara was at a loss for words.

"Let's move on, shall we?" Lindsey said, a small smile on her face. "Let's fast forward five years. Matthew is born, and you turn back up in Vegas. Did you know they were married?"

"No."

"So you figured Dr. Grissom was still on the market. Here's cute little boy, why don't you have mom too? But you got railroaded, because he _was_ married, and he had two kids, with a third one on the way."

"He was married when I returned."

"Very much married." Lindsey nodded. "Did you tell Dr. Grissom straight away that Matthew was his son?"

"No."

"No? You travel back to Vegas, after five years, hoping to hook up with the guy who you've been carrying a torch for, with this fantastic bargaining chip…and you didn't tell him?"

"I told Catherine."

Lindsey cocked her head to one side. "Okay, I'm confused. You two have had a rocky relationship since you first met…believe me, I've heard details. You come back, find out she's married to your old sex partner, and you tell _her_ about your son with her husband first? That's some twisted logic there, Ms. Sidle."

"She had sent Grissom away with the children."

Lindsey grinned. She had been hoping Sara would introduce that. "Of COURSE! Because Matthew was thirsty, wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"In fact, Matthew had been thirsty for a few hours, hadn't he?"

"We didn't have a chance to…"

"Of course you didn't! You had to go see your guy first! But instead, he gets all paternal towards all these kids surrounding him, and you get stuck with your arch-enemy! Ain't the world cruel?"

"Ms. Dole," the judge warned.

"Withdrawn," Lindsey replied. "So, this conversation with Mrs. Grissom. You threaten her, she shoots you down, you get offended and you tell her about Matthew. Correct?"

"Something like that."

"Something like that. Of course. So, you take Matthew and go on your merry way to your motel. Let's fast forward to the next day. You're at a former colleague's house for a wedding shower slash baby shower. You turn up with Matthew…and to your horror, bonding between father and son begins!"

"I never wanted to stop them from being together."

"Please, Ms. Sidle. We don't have time in this trial to get into _that_ hypocrisy. So you go to the party and Dr. and Mrs. Grissom are being very lovey-dovey and parents with their children and the jealousy rages. But STILL you don't tell Dr. Grissom. Why?"

"I wasn't going to ruin the party for Greg."

"Mr. Sanders. Who was having the wedding shower."

"Yes."

"Who was the baby shower for?"

"Grissom and Catherine."

"Did you want to ruin that?"

"Of course not!"

Lindsey feigned shock. "Of course not? Why not? You don't like Mrs. Grissom, remember? You're bitter!"

"Ms. Dole."

"Sorry, your honor."

"I didn't tell him because the children were there."

Lindsey blinked. "Sorry to be blunt, but aren't the children the POINT?"

"No. Matthew is the point."'

"Or Dr. Grissom." Lindsey paused. "Withdrawn. So, Ms. Sidle. When DID you tell him?"

"A couple of days later. At the office."

"The office. You chose the office to tell him about his son. Okay, fair enough. What happened?"

"I told him."

"And? Did he scream, did he cry, did he get angry?"

"He was angry that I hadn't told him. Then he got angry because I told his wife first."

"Normal reaction." Lindsey looked at her. "Didn't he also get angry when you told him to, and I quote, "keep his dick in his pants" and then that "it didn't take him long to find someone else to screw"?"

"Heat of the moment," Sara mumbled.

"Ah, another heat of the moment, moment," Lindsey replied. "Was when you asked him to tell his wife to stop accusing people of trying to break up her marriage, also a heat of the moment, moment?"

"Objection!" Andrews cried.

"About time," Sara said under her breath.

Lindsey smirked. "Withdrawn. Ms. Sidle, you went back to your motel then, correct?"

"Yes."

"And over the next two months, Dr. Grissom and his son spent some time together?"

"Yes."

"Were you jealous?"

"Excuse me?"

"Matthew was having a fantastic time with Dr. and Mrs. Grissom. Were you jealous?"

"Grissom is his father."

"So you were jealous of Mrs. Grissom?"

"That's not what I…"

"Two months later you went to Dr. Grissom's office again, correct?"

"Yes."

"Who was there?"

"Catherine."

"But you wanted to see her husband, correct?"

"Yes."

"That was when you had your engaging argument with Mrs. Grissom, which culminated in you leaving the office."

"Yes, but she started it!"

"How comforting. Later that night, you left."

"I went home."

"Leave anything important behind in Vegas?"

Sara blinked. "Huh?"

"Your SON, Ms. Sidle," Lindsey reminded her.

"He had strict instructions not to leave the motel room. I left him enough money for pizza and he had clean clothes."

A broad smile broke out onto Lindsey's face. _Gotcha twice_. "So, you didn't leave him with any other instructions?"

"No. Like what?"

"Well, earlier you testified that you told Mrs. Grissom you were leaving. According to your statements now, the last time you had contact with Mrs. Grissom was when you had the argument with her. Then you just left Matthew."

Sara's eyes widened. "Well…I…uh…I told her during the argument."

"Of course you did," Lindsey placated her. "So, apart from the fact that you left your son in a motel room, and Mrs. Grissom went to get him, and that you kept him from knowing his father for five years, you were a good mother."

"Yes," Sara said firmly.

"Okay. So, now you returned, after ten years of silence, and you decided you wanted him back."

"He should be with his mother."

"He's got a mother."

"A biological one."

"Oh, so not the one that kept him from starving to death in a motel room?"

"He wouldn't have starved to death."

"Sure, someone would have found him sooner or later," Lindsey said offhandedly. "Ms. Sidle, let's be realistic. Isn't this all just a ploy to get Dr. Grissom back?"

"No!"

"So that would just be a bonus?" Lindsey turned around. "Ms. Sidle, you said you wrote letters to Matthew during the ten year interim, during which time you didn't see him."

"I wrote him a letter every month."

"Once a month?"

"Yes."

"That's all."

"Yes."

"Wow. A bit brief with the letter writing, aren't we?"

"What would you call good letter writing?"

"How about every day that Matthew was at camp this year, his parents wrote him a letter a week, plus answered every single one he wrote them…even if that meant more than one letter a week?"

"That's just overprotective."

Lindsey arched an eyebrow. "Riiight. So, Ms. Sidle, did you ever get a reply from Matthew?"

"No."

"Did you know why?"

"Catherine probably stole them all."

"This is you being respectful? Do you want to know why, Ms. Sidle? Because he never read them. Never even opened the damn things." Lindsey went back to her desk and held up some of them. "But I did."

"Objection! Unfair surprise!"

The judge peered over his glasses at Mr. Andrews. "This is not a criminal trial, Mr. Andrews."

Lindsey opened one up and handed it over to Sara. "Would you please read the highlighted section?"

Sara looked at the letter and sighed. "This is totally out of context."

"Your honor," Lindsey complained.

"Please just read the highlighted passage, Ms. Sidle," the judge ordered.

"The world is often conspiring against you. Catherine Willows did that. She just HAD to have Grissom. She couldn't bear the thought of anyone else having him. And of course, Grissom is only a man. And Catherine flaunts herself at him. It must be torture living there with them. Always remember that you are my son. And that you are not related fully to any of those two girls."

Lindsey took the letter back. "Thank you, Ms. Sidle." She put the letter back on the desk. "So, this is you respecting, Mrs. Grissom. This is you being a great mother to your son. In fact, in not ONE of your letters, do you ask him about what he's been doing, what are his hobbies, nor do you tell him what you've been doing. Why is that, Ms. Sidle? Why does every one of these letters involve Dr. Grissom and Mrs. Grissom?"

"They were the ones looking after him."

"If you didn't like them, why did it take you this long to come back for him?"

"I don't know."

"Ms. Sidle, since you left Las Vegas, how many men have you been with?"

"Your HONOR!" Andrews said, jumping up.

The judge looked at Lindsey Dole. "Ms. Dole…"

"Your honor, the entire reason Ms. Sidle is here, is not because of her son. It's because of Dr. Grissom. She's suddenly realized she's not getting any younger, and she's been hung up on this man since she's met him."

"That's not true!" Sara said, jumping up. "Matthew is my son! It's not fair that Catherine gets him! He's not hers! He's mine!"

"Ms. Sidle, sit down!" the judge told her. "We are going to have a twenty minute recess. Court is adjourned!"

* * *

Catherine sat beside Gil on the bench.

"Wow."

Gil looked over at her. "You can say that again."

"Wow."

"I can't believe everything we just heard."

"I can't believe that I'm the cause of all this." Catherine looked up at her husband. "Can she hate me that much?"

"Catherine, no," Gil said firmly. "You are not the cause of all this."

"Gil, you were in there. You heard all of that. How can you possibly not believe I am the cause of all this?"

"Because I did hear everything in there. I heard a bitter woman who was jealous of another woman for having a man she was in love with. This is no one's fault but Sara's. She's created a mess and she has to clean it up."

"Then why is our family paying for it?"

Gil hugged her tight to him. "We're going to be okay, Cath. We have three wonderful boys and two amazing girls. And I've got you, and you've got me. And I know that I love you more than anything in the world."

Catherine looked up at him and smiled. "You know, for someone who doesn't say too much, you have a very good way with words."

"I save all the good ones for you," Gil grinned.

She leant up, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

"Thank you," Gil replied, hugging her. "For being you."

"Right back at you, Dr. Grissom," came the reply.

* * *

When they returned to the courtroom, Sara was already in the witness box.

"Resuming my line of questioning from earlier," Lindsey Dole began, "how many men have you been with since you left Las Vegas, Ms. Sidle?"

"None of your business."

Lindsey looked up at the judge. She didn't need to say anything, because the judge already knew what was coming.

"Please answer the question, Ms. Sidle."

"Not many."

"Is this because of your lingering fascination on Dr. Grissom?"

"No. It's because we didn't suit."

"Because of your lingering fascination on Dr. Grissom."

"Your honor, Ms. Dole is badgering the witness," Andrews said, standing up. "And Ms. Sidle has already answered the question."

"Move on, Ms. Dole," the judge warned.

Lindsey nodded. "So, Ms. Sidle. Has emotionally scarring your son, acting like an immature child and trying to break up a very happy family made you feel better after dumping your son like the trash?" She saw Andrews start to rise from his seat. "Withdrawn. No further questions."


	20. 20

Part 20 

Matt looked up as a weary looking Gil and Catherine came in through the door. "Hi. You guys look terrible."

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Thank you."

"No problem. So, what's for dinner? I'm starving."

"Why is the house so quiet?" Gil said. "That's not normal."

"Lizzie's in her room listening to some weird chick music. Jamie is downstairs. Max…well last time I saw Max he was in his room."

"Doing what?"

"That's a question I wasn't sure I wanted the answer to," Matt replied.

Catherine kissed her son on the forehead. "Okay. I'll go upstairs and check on them."

Matt watched curiously as his mother disappeared upstairs and then turned to Gil. "Is she okay?"

Gil furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure."

"Did things go badly today?"

"That's why I don't understand. Things went fine today." He mentally gave his head a shake. "How was your day?"

Matt shrugged. "Fine. Just school and stuff."

"Any problems?"

"Some of the kids think it's a bit weird that some woman comes visit me and that I keep missing bits of school, but it's okay."

Gil sat down beside him. "I guess your mother and I haven't thought about that."

"It's no big deal, Dad. I'm just looking forward to all this being over so we can just get on with our lives."

"Matt…you know, that we might have to talk about…what happens if…"

"Gil!"

Gil sighed as he saw Catherine standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Catherine, we have to…"

"No we don't." She tried to stem the tears that were threatening to flow. "Go and check on Jamie. We'll find something for dinner. I'll be upstairs."

Gil watched her go, a small frown on his face. He patted Matt's head. "I'll go round up our little scientist."

* * *

Catherine peeked into Max's room, where he was building something with his Lego.

"Hey, little guy."

Max looked up and grinned. "Hey, mom."

"What are you up to?"

"Me? Nothing."

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "You're always up to something."

Max grinned at her winningly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Max…"

"Just building buildings, mom," he replied. "Of course, someone might stomp them down and Fang Man might come to the rescue, but I promise I'm being good."

Catherine smiled softly. "Okay then." She kissed him on the top of the head. "I'll find something for dinner soon, okay?"

Max nodded. "Okay."

She headed down the hallway to Lizzie's room next, finding her daughter with her headphones on and bopping away to some sort of music. Catherine walked over and lifted the headphones slightly.

Lizzie jumped. "Oh! Mom. It's only you."

"Thank you," Catherine murmured.

Her daughter rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"How was your day?"

Lizzie shrugged. "Fine. The guy that tried to feel me up didn't come anywhere near me today. I think he might be scared." She wrinkled her nose. "Boys are weird."

Catherine chuckled and hugged her daughter. "I won't disagree there."

* * *

"Cath?"

She turned around, seeing Gil walking into the kitchen. "Hey. How's Jamie?"

"Trying a new experiment."

"Does it involve my CSI kit?"

Gil grinned. "No."

"There's a relief."

"Cath, are we going to talk about it?"

Catherine started loading the dishwasher. "What are you talking about?"

"What happened earlier. With Matt."

Catherine said nothing, but continued loading the dishwasher.

"We need to discuss, particularly with Matt, what will happen if…"

"No," she finally said. "No, we don't need to."

Gil's hand gently cupped her cheek. "Cath…"

"No. I won't think about it."

"Not thinking about it doesn't mean it might not happen."

"I can't think about it." She looked up at her husband. "It hurts too much to think about it."

"I know it hurts," he murmured, taking her into his arms. "I know it does, but…" He sighed and just held her for a moment. "We're going to have to talk about this at some point."

"No we won't, because Matt is staying with us."

"You can't predict the future, baby."

"I want to."

Gil kissed her gently. "I know. Me too."

* * *

Max scrutinized the building blocks and then dashed them with the toy car. "Nope, that way won't work."

Jamie walked into the room. "What are you doing?"

"Plotting evil and sinister plans," Max answered, scribbling something out on his notepad.

Jamie sat on the bed. "Okay. I'll bite. Against who?"

Max looked up at him. "Who do you think?"

Jamie groaned. "You're banned from seeing her, remember? You don't want to get mom and dad in trouble with the judge and Matt gets sent away, do you?"

"Of course not!" Max cried. He rolled his eyes. "I'm nine, not stupid," he muttered.

Jamie slid down to the floor next to him. "So why are you plotting against her if you can't do anything about it."

Max looked up, a sly smile on his face. "I can't go near her. But you can."

* * *

Catherine and Gil were glad of the day off from court. After having a lie in together, they started catching up on everything that had been left by the way-side since the case had begun.

"You have a cute butt," Gil decided, watching as Catherine crouched down to pull out a couple of weeds.

"I'm glad you think so, considering how much you like to touch it," Catherine shot back.

"Mom!!!!!!!" Max yelled out of his bedroom window.

Catherine rolled her eyes. "Max, how many times do I have to tell you, no screaming out the top window!"

The head disappeared and he came downstairs, sitting beside her. Then he leant up to whisper in his mother's ear. "Is this better?"

"Max…"

"I'm pushing it, aren't I?" Max said, squatting back down again.

Catherine and Gil nodded.

"Okay. I'll be good."

Gil arched an eyebrow. "I think I'm going to faint."

Max looked up at him, a withering look on his face. "That's hurtful." He turned back to his mother. "Can I have some friends over?"

"How many friends?"

Max shrugged. "A couple."

"How many is a couple?"

Max held his hand up, with two fingers. Then slowly, as his parents kept staring at him, he continued putting up fingers, until he had 5 fingers in the air.

Catherine glanced at Gil, who shrugged. She looked back at her son. "Okay. But remember that there are other people in the house beside you boys, okay?"

Max smirked. "Are you referring to the guys who accidentally walked in on Lizzie in the shower?"

"That's exactly who I'm referring to."

"It wasn't our fault. How were they supposed to know there was a girl in there!?" Max wrinkled his nose and made a face. "I think they were scarred for life."

"So was Lizzie," Gil said.

* * *

"No." Lizzie tossed out another shirt. "No. No. No, not that one either."

Catherine glanced in on her daughter. "Honey, is this an energetic spring clean?"

"Nope. I'm trying to decide what to wear."

"Wear to what?"

"Well, I'm going to be doing a victory dance over Sara's grave."

Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Do you know something I don't?"

Lizzie smiled. "All I know is, that Jamie is down in the bug museum tinkering on something. Oh, and that we're going to win."

"We are?"

"Well, duh! Jessica told Marty who told Emma who told her mom, what was going on, and Emma's mom's friend is a psychic. So she told Emma's mom who told Marty, who told Jessica, who told me, that we're going to win."

Catherine scratched her head. "A psychic?"

"Yeah. Isn't it so totally cool? Emma told Olivia who told Rebecca who told me that her house is so awesome and that it's just like the ones in the movies!"

"How comforting."

"So, yeah, I figured that after we win, Jamie's probably going to blow her up, so I want something floaty and fun to dance in."

Catherine hugged her daughter and kissed her on the forehead. "Then you keep at it, sweetheart."

With a smile and a flourish, Lizzie turned back to her wardrobe. "No, no, no no."

* * *

"Our daughter has consulted a psychic."

Gil looked up from the book he was reading and peered over his glasses. "I beg your pardon?"

"Apparently it went down her friend grapevine to Emma's mom's friend and she related back through said grapevine that we're going to win."

Gil took his glasses off. "I'm sorry, you're losing me. We're part of the school grapevine?"

"No, we're the topic of the school grapevine."

Gil frowned slightly. "I'm not sure how I feel about teenage girls discussing me."

Catherine giggled. "It's kind of cute, but I don't think they're talking about what you're thinking of."

Gil put his book down. "Would you have talked about me with teenage girls when you were a teenager?"

Catherine walked over to him and sat in his lap. "Truthfully?"

Gil nodded. "Always."

She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Yes."

Gil's eyes widened. "Really? Cath, I was a ghost in high school and…"

Catherine pressed a finger to his lips. "Your eyes. Right from when I first met you, your eyes just…they're beautiful. And when they're on me, I know I can do anything. You have no idea how much they helped when I was  
dancing. Or when Eddie had…" She smiled sadly and then leant in to kiss him. "I love you, Gil."

His eyes were wide but they finally softened and he took her hand, kissing it. "I love you too, Cath." He kissed her gently, then held her in his arms. "Very, very much."

* * *

Max handed around the photocopy to his friends. "This is our target. We will watch her at all hours, at all times. You each have your roster." He patted a radio. "Thanks to my brother, James, we have been equipped with this.

You can report to me anything. I mean anything, and I will hear it through this device. Any questions?"

A big boy named Bruce cracked his knuckles. "Can we intervene at any time?"

"No physical force shall be used, unless target attacks." Max shrugged. "Sorry, Bruce, but I don't want any casualties on this one."

Bruce looked downcast. "Okay."

"So, men, are we ready?"

"YEAH!" the boys cried.

"Let's move it out!" Max said.

* * *

"I really appreciate this Ben," Jamie said, attaching the cable to the boy's laptop.

"No problem. I like recon work," Ben replied, tapping on the computer. "We should have a visual…now. There we go."

The two boys peered at the video image of Sara's room.

"So, explain how this works again?"

"When the spies change shifts, they'll transfer the cap. The cap contains a tiny micro camera that video feeds into my computer." Ben grinned. "Dad and I love ebay."

"Does he know you borrowed this stuff?"

"I said it was for an assignment. Of course, he was fixing a famous person's security camera at the time, so he may have been a little preoccupied, but he did say yes."

Jamie grinned. "Excellent."

* * *

Catherine watched as Max and Jamie wolfed down their dinner. "What are you two up to?"

Max looked up innocently. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Nothing, mom," Jamie replied. "Just really hungry. We're growing boys, remember?"

Finally, the two boys pushed their plates away.

"Can we be excused?" Max asked.

"May you be excused?"

"Yeah, that one," Max replied.

Catherine glanced at Gil, who shrugged. "Okay."

She had barely gotten the words out of her mouth by the time the boys disappeared.

Gil glanced at Lindsey, Matt and Lizzie. "Do any of you know what's going on?"

"I did warn you that Max was on his way to becoming a juvenile delinquent," Lizzie reminded them.

* * *

"Who's following her this evening?" Jamie asked, glancing at the screen.

"Bruce. You know, this is almost like a cool reality TV show. "Stalking Sara". Whaddya think?"

"I'd watch it."

Max grinned, and then the smile slowly left his face. "What's going on?"

Jamie looked at the screen. "I don't know. They're going into some building."

Max's head cocked to one side. "This is weird."

"Very weird."

Max flipped through his notebook. "This isn't on the schedule that we previously observed."

"Where the heck is he?" Jamie asked, trying to pick out a landmark.

Max looked around, then spied a flyer. "Uh oh. This is not good. This is really not good." He began frantically searching for his walkie-talkie. "Bruce has to get out of there. Now. Before anyone sees him."

Jamie looked at the flyer that Max had pointed to. "Alcoholics Anonymous?"


	21. 21

21 

"This is not good. This is really not good."

Max looked at his brother. "Are you kidding? This is great! The minute we show this to Mom and Dad…we're heroes!"

"Max! Are you insane? Mom and Dad are going to want to know where the photos came from and how we got them!"

Max's eyes widened. "Oh." He took a deep breath. "This is not good. This is really not good."

"And you're supposed to be grounded! AND you're supposed to stay away from Sara!"

"Technically I wasn't anywhere NEAR Sara. You guys were. And technically I didn't violate the whole grounding thing. I didn't go out anywhere. You did."

"So you're throwing this on me?"

"Heck no. I want the credit too."

Jamie rolled his eyes. "We have to show this to Mom and Dad."

"Where are they?"

Jamie shrugged. "Let's go find them."

* * *

Catherine's head lay in Gil's lap, and he stroked her forehead as they watched a television show together. Matt had disappeared upstairs, saying he was tired, and Lindsey and Lizzie were apparently having "girl talk."

"Have I mentioned recently how beautiful you are?"

Catherine shifted in his lap and looked up at him, her sleepy blue eyes twinkling. "Yes, but I'm always up for hearing it again."

"You're beautiful."

She smiled at him, her hand raising to rest on his cheek. "And you're handsome."

"And you're both gross," Max announced, walking into the room.

Catherine turned around in Gil's lap. "And you're a monster, but we still love you."

"So we're all even?" Max asked. "Great. Jamie and I have something to talk to you about."

"Where IS Jamie?" Gil inquired.

Max turned around and noticed his brother was indeed missing. He groaned and disappeared for a moment, finally dragging Jamie back in.

"Let's start again," Max decided.

"Let's," Gil agreed.

"Jamie and I have something to talk to you about."

"What did you do?" Catherine asked.

Jamie tried to put an innocent look on his face. "Why do you always expect the worst?"

"See, that way I'm never disappointed. And sometimes I'm nicely surprised."

Gil rolled his eyes. "I've heard THAT somewhere before."

Catherine swatted his shoulder. "Shh."

"Yes Dad, shh," Max told him. When he caught his father's look, he blushed slightly. "Please."

"Do go on," Gil gestured.

"Well…we sorta were playing a game?"

"What did you break?"

"DAD!" Jamie groaned.

"Sorry, go on."

"We found out something. Something helpful."

"How to do the laundry without me having to do it?" Catherine asked.

"MOM!"

Catherine smirked. "Sorry guys. Couldn't help myself."

"But I will get back to you on that point," Jamie promised. He caught his brother's look. "Go on."

"We were playing spy."

Catherine sat up, almost colliding with Gil's chin. He maneuvered her so that she sat in his lap.

"You remember my friend, Ben?" Jamie asked.

"Yes…" Catherine said slowly.

"He was playing too."

Gil gulped. "Go on."

"And we saw something. On Ben's computer. Which we blowed up and printed out," Max said.

"Blew up," Catherine corrected.

"That too," Max replied. "So, we kind of thought we should show it to you."

Gil watched them carefully. "Who were you spying on?"

"I didn't violate anything the judge said. I didn't go anywhere near her! It was my gang!" Max blurted out. Then he slapped his hand over his mouth. "Oops."

Catherine's eyes widened. "You were spying on Sara Sidle?"

"I didn't violate anything the judge said!" Max tried to remind them.

"Rooms, now," Gil said quietly. "Both of you."

"But Dad…" Jamie started.

"Don't argue with me," Gil replied. "We'll talk about this later. Go. Now."

"Fine," Max said, thrusting the piece of paper at them. "I just wanted to help." With that, he and Jamie headed upstairs.

Catherine's eyes were still wide as she looked at the photo. "Alcoholics Anonymous."

Gil took the photo and glanced at it. "Catherine, this is not good."

"For Sara and for us."

"Why for us?"

"Do you really think the judge is going to give the boys a free ride this time?"

Gil sighed. "I'm trying not to think about it."

"We can't sit on this," Catherine said, glancing at the photo.

"I know."

"I don't want the boys to get in trouble."

"Neither do I."

Catherine put the photo down. "What are we going to do?"

Gil took her in his arms, holding her tight. "I don't know, Cath. We have to tell the judge. And our lawyer."

"We should talk to the boys."

"They're grounded, to begin with."

"Absolutely." Catherine paused for a minute. "Gil?"

"Yeah?"

"This is turning into a living nightmare."

Gil tightened his arms around her. "We'll get through it, Cath. You know we will. We've managed before." He pressed a hard kiss to her cheek. "We'll do it again."

* * *

The judge peered over his desk as Jamie and Max were ushered into his chambers.

"Hey, Mr Judge sir," Max said, sitting down. "Nice to see you again."

The judge tried to hide a smile. "Nice to see you too, Max." He turned to Jamie. "Hello, James."

"Hi."

"Do you both know why we're here?"

"The same reason that we're grounded?" Max asked.

"That's right."

"Are you going to lecture us just like mom and dad did?" he asked again.

"That's highly likely."

"I didn't break my promise," Max told him. "I didn't go anywhere near Sara."

"I noticed that."

Jamie looked up at the judge. "Are we going to ruin our chances of getting Matt?"

"What happens between you boys and I in here, has no bearing on what happens in the court room."

"That's a relief."

"You know that what you two boys did was very serious?"

"We were just playing," Max replied.

"That may be so, but that doesn't lessen the seriousness of the situation."

Jamie's eyes widened. "Are we going to jail?"

"No," the judge assured then. "Not at all. But something will have to be done."

"We can amend my promise if you want," Max offered. "I won't go near her, OR watch her."

"That will be a start," the judge agreed.

"What do I have to do?" Jamie asked, his eyes wide.

"I'm going to sentence you both to community service."

"Huh!?" Max said, his eyes wide.

"For the next three Saturdays, you will both be helping rake leaves at the community center."

Max's eyes bugged open. "All day Saturday? It'll kill me!"

"What doesn't kill you will make you stronger," the judge quoted.

"I've SO heard that one before," Jamie grumbled.

The judge looked up as a tall man came in. "This is Mr. Ruddley. He's in charge of the community center. He'll talk with you and your parents, okay?"

The two boys nodded and got up.

Before he left, Max turned around. "Apart from this small incident…you're still a cool judge."

The judge smiled. "I appreciate your maturity, Max."

Max waved at the judge as the two boys left the room.

* * *

"Juvenile delinquents!" Lizzie cried, as Max and Jamie arrived home.

"MOM!" Jamie cried. "I don't want to be called a juvenile delinquent!"

Catherine rubbed her forehead. "Lizzie, don't call your brothers juvenile delinquents."

Gil glanced at his wife, noticing how tired she looked. "Boys, up to your rooms. Lizzie, I'm sure you have homework to do. Where is Matt?"

"In his room listening to music." Lizzie turned around and went into her room.

Gil took Catherine's hand. "Come on, baby."

"Where are we going?"

"To bed."

Catherine paused. "Gil…I'm really not…"

"To sleep," Gil told her. "You need sleep. I need sleep. Neither of us are any good to the kids in the state we are."

Catherine smiled and leant against him. "Okay. Will you hold me, while I sleep?"

Gil grinned. "That's half the reason I'm coming too."

Catherine kissed his chest. "Okay then. Let's go to bed."


	22. 22

Part 22 

Catherine stood in the doorway to Matt's room, as he furiously brushed his hair to keep it down.

"You want some help?" she asked.

"My hair doesn't want to look presentable."

Catherine smiled and grabbed the gel he offered her, gently rubbing it in so that his hair smoothed down.

"You used to do this all the time for me when I was a kid," he said.

"You still are a kid," Catherine reminded him, brushing his hair.

"I don't feel like one at the moment." He sighed.

"Hey," Catherine turned him around to face her. "Listen to me for a second. "No matter what happens in there today, you are still my son, and I love you more than anything. And your dad loves you more than anything. And your brothers and sisters love you more than anything." She hugged him tight to her. "Okay?"

Matt hugged her back for a moment and grinned. "And you'll always be my mom, no matter what."

"You bet your ass," Catherine agreed. She kissed his forehead. "Now, I've got to go get the other guys off to school. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

Matt nodded. "Okay."

Catherine smiled at him and went down the hallway, almost colliding with her husband's chest.

"Hey, beautiful," Gil murmured, kissing the top of her head. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Hi. I was just going to get the other guys ready for school."

"They're doing just fine." He took her hand. "I want to borrow you."

She arched an eyebrow as he yanked her into their bedroom. "Gil…"

"Sit," he ordered.

"I'm wondering if I should woof," Catherine replied, sitting on the bed.

Gil sat down beside her, his hand brushing a lock of hair from her face. "I'm worried about you."

"Worried about me? I'm fine. A little tired, but…"

"Catherine."

"What?"

"Don't shrug it off. You're not just a little tired. You're close to a breakdown."

"A breakdown?" Catherine laughed slightly. "Gil, I don't have time for a breakdown."

"I'm serious, Cath." He cupped her face with his hands. "I'm worried about you."

"Well, there's no need to be," she replied, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Now, we have to get ready to…"

Gil took her hand as she went to stand up. "No, Catherine. We're not going anywhere until we've talked about this."

"Gil…" She held his cheeks in her hands, forcing him to look at her. "We've been under a lot of stress lately. And we haven't been able to be as…close…as we usually are." She kissed him. "And I miss you. I miss just talking and not worrying about anything except what Jamie is going to blow up next, or what major crisis Max brings upon the world."

"Cath…"

"Let me finish," she murmured. "When this is over…however it turns out…I want you and I to take a vacation. Just the two of us." She shrugged. "I miss my marriage. And my best friend."

"Me too," he whispered.

She smiled slightly at him, one hand taking his, the other caressing his cheek. "Maybe…tonight…we could have dinner at home, and make love?"

"I'd like that," Gil smiled back.

"It's a date, then?"

"It's a date."

* * *

Warrick grinned. "Sure, we can do that. We'll divvy the kids up according to who's got girls and boys the same age…and we'll draw straws over Max."

"Very funny, Warrick," Gil said. He smiled. "I really appreciate this."

"Are you kidding? It's about time you and Catherine had a night to yourselves."

"You're right, it is. Thanks, Warrick."

"No problem. I'll call you back later with the details."

After Gil hung up, he turned to find his wife leaning against the table, biting her lip.

"Well?" she finally asked.

He grinned at her. "What shall we have for dinner tonight?"

Catherine's eyes lit up and she let out a cry of excitement, hugging him tightly.

Lizzie, Max and Jamie came into the room, confused expressions on their faces.

"What's going on?" Lizzie asked.

"Your mother and I are having a date tonight," Gil said proudly, holding Catherine to him. "Warrick, Nick and Greg are taking you guys tonight."

"That's it?" Jamie said, bewildered.

"That's it," Catherine murmured, leaning up to kiss Gil.

Max rolled his eyes. "A date. Big deal."

* * *

"Matthew Grissom. I'm fifteen."

Mr. Andrews stood up. "And Sara Sidle is your biological mother?"

Matthew shrugged. "She slept with my dad."

Catherine and Gil's eyes almost bugged out of their head.

"That's a very crude description," Andrews commented.

"She hasn't acted like a mother to me. Mother is an important word. She doesn't deserve it."

"She raised you for five years, isn't that correct?"

"I lived with her for five years."

"You don't seem to like your mother very much."

"_Sara_ has done things to me and my family. Besides, I'm not required to like her."

"Such as?"

"How long do we have?"

"Your honor!" Andrews said, turning to the judge.

The judge looked down at Matthew. "I know this is hard for you. But please, try to answer the questions." He turned back to Andrews. "Be more specific."

"Matthew, what did your…Ms. Sidle, tell you about your father?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"She said that my dad wasn't important, and to forget about him. I had her and that was all I needed."

"What changed?"

Matthew shrugged. "One night she came into my room and said we were going to Las Vegas. I asked why, and she said we were going to bring Daddy home."

"That must have surprised you."

"You're telling me. Especially since I was starting to think I was the Immaculate Conception."

"Tell me what happened when you came here?"

"We went straight to the Las Vegas Crime Lab. I met Uncle Warrick first. Then we went into Dad's office, and he and mom and Lindsey and Lizzie were there. I was really thirsty, but Sara said we didn't have time to get a drink. Mom asked Dad to take me, Lindsey and Lizzie to get one."

"Did you know that you were related to Dr. Grissom at the time?"

Matthew shook his head. "We just hung out in the breakroom." He grinned at his father. "It was cool."

"Then what happened?"

"She took me back to the motel. A couple of days later, we went to Greg's place."

"Your mother must have been very stressed."

"Have you MET Sara? She's ALWAYS stressed."

Andrews sighed. "So you found out Dr. Grissom was your father. What happened then?"

"We hung out for awhile. I liked that. Their house was always happy."

"Tell the court what happened the night your mother disappeared."

Matt fixed him with a stare. "She didn't disappear. She DUMPED me."

"The night she left?"

"She put some money on the counter, and said that she had to go out for a while. If I needed anything, to call my father."

"And you did."

Matt sighed. "I ran out of money. The pizza guy came. I had nothing to pay him with." A smile slowly spread over his face. "Then mom came and took me home."

Catherine smiled up at him.

"Then what happened?"

"I got to live there. I got to eat normal food, play soccer. Mom helped me decorate my room. Mom and Dad listen whenever we want to talk."

"What about Ms. Sidle? Don't you ever miss her?"

Matt glanced over at Sara. "I finally got to live when she dumped me. So, no. I don't."

"Matthew, tell me about being a teenager."

Matt arched an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Well, fifteen…you're a teenage boy. What's life like for a teenage boy in the Grissom household?"

"I get up, I go to school, I come home, I go to bed."

"Do you play sports?"

"Basketball and soccer."

"What about a girlfriend?"

Lindsey jumped up. "Relevance?"

"Just want to see how well-adjusted he is."

The judge sighed. "Carefully, Mr. Andrews."

Andrews nodded. "So, Matt…have a girlfriend?"

"I have some friends who are girls. But no one special, yet."

"What about sex?"

"YOUR HONOR!" Lindsey was up again."

"Goes to how well he's been taken care of and taught," Andrews prompted.

"Careful, Mr. Andrews," the judge reminded him.

"He can't ask him that! How can he ask him that?" Catherine asked her husband. "He's only fifteen!"

"Well…I'm positive he's not having it." Gil paused. "I don't think."

"He better not be. I'll ground him for life if he's having it," Catherine told him.

Andrews nodded again. "Know all about sex, Matt?"

"I know what it is, if that's what you're asking."

"Have your parents talked to you about it?"

"Yeah."

"Have you had sex, Matthew?"

The court exploded into uproar.

"OBJECTION!" Lindsey cried.

Matthew sat there boggle-eyed.

"Can I kill him?" Catherine asked Gil.

"Me first," Gil decided.

* * *

Andrews sat down, and Lindsey Dole got up.

"Matt, what was your favorite food to eat when you were five."

Matt grinned. "Hot dogs."

"How often did you have them when you lived with Ms. Sidle."

"Never. She's a vegetarian."

"What did you decorate your room with when you moved to live with Dr and Mrs. Grissom?"

"Airplanes. Lots of them."

"Did you have any at your old house?"

"No. She said we didn't need them."

"How did you cope when you were left alone at that hotel room."

Matt sighed. "I tried to clean up. I was short, so I couldn't reach the sink real well, and the water sometimes overran. Sara told me I wasn't allowed to leave the room, so I couldn't do my laundry."

"Did your parents try and contact Ms. Sidle?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah. But she never called me back. And I waited."

"Any complaints about your life with the Grissoms?"

Matt grinned. "None at all."

* * *

"That was…eventful," Gil said, as he, Catherine and Matt left the courthouse.

"I haven't had sex mom, I swear," Matthew promised Catherine.

Catherine chuckled and ruffled his hair. "I know. Just…just make sure you talk to one of us first, okay?"

Matt nodded. "No problem." He headed over to the car.

"What if he does?"

"What if he does what?" Catherine asked.

"Come to us first."

"Then we hope like hell we can answer him."

Gil frowned. "I don't know if I want to discuss sex and my son anymore today."

"I'm there with you a hundred per cent. They're still my babies."

"You were gorgeous when you were pregnant. A real glow."

Matt looked over at them. "Uh…guys. You're going on a date tonight. Don't you want to save up all that stuff for later?"

"We always have plenty," Catherine chuckled, going to her car door.

Matt wrinkled his nose. "If you're trying to put me off sex…it's working."

TBC  



	23. 23

Part 23

Catherine relaxed against the back of the couch. "That was a wonderful dinner."

"It was good…even if I do say so myself," Gil decided, sitting down beside her. "Thank god for dishwashers."

His arms opened and Catherine smiled, leaning up against him.

"This is so good," Catherine murmured, kissing his chest. "I've missed this."

"Me too," Gil replied. "I've missed you."

Catherine's fingers laced with his. "I'm here now. And you're here."

Gil's spare hand slid underneath her shirt, caressing her stomach. "I love you, Cath."

"I love you too," she replied, her eyes slipping shut. "That feels good."

"The house is so quiet."

"Nice, isn't it?"

"Very."

"We have amazing kids," she said.

Gil smirked. "We had an amazing time making them."

"We did indeed."

They sat contented for a few moments, happy to just enjoy their marriage alone for a night.

"Hey, Gil?" Catherine said, a small smile playing at her lips as she felt his hand slide further up her shirt.

"Yeah?"

"Race you upstairs?"

* * *

Warrick Brown finished loading the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Dad!"

Warrick turned around to find his five year old son, Michael, staring up at him with folded arms. "Hey little man, what's up?"

"There are too many women in this house, that's what!"

Warrick arched an eyebrow. "Ookay. What happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened! We got to all say what movie we wanted to watch! I voted for Hercules and the _girls_ voted for Sleeping Beauty."

"And?"

"We're watching Sleeping Beauty!"

Warrick smirked. "Okay, come on. Let's go talk to mom."

Mandy looked up as he walked in. "Hey. What's going on?"

Michael began making faces at his two sisters, three-year-old Jenna and two year old Alicia. Lizzie Grissom giggled.

"Michael," Mandy growled.

"Sorry," Michael replied. "But there are way too many women in this house!"

Lizzie pouted and held her arms out. "You don't want me here?"

Michael crawled up beside her, hugging her. "Nah, you can stay."

"Michael says Sleeping Beauty is a girly movie," Warrick explained.

"Tis not!" Jenna cried out, Alicia echoing her.

Mandy looked at Warrick. "You guys are outvoted."

"Not fair!" Michael groaned.

"There is a really cool guy bit in Sleeping Beauty," Lizzie suggested. "You know, like when the prince is hacking through the dark forest?"

Michael's ears pricked up. "Hacking?"

* * *

"AHHH!" 11-year-old Alexander Stokes launched an attack on his 6-year-old brother, Christopher.

Jamie and Matt Grissom joined in.

Sitting on the couch, 4-year-old Caitlyn wrinkled her nose.

Nick walked in, smiling at his daughter. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Hi, Daddy," she replied, a smile on her face. "Boys are stupid."  
Nick pouted. "I'm a boy."

Caitlyn gave him a look. "Uh-uh. You're a daddy."

"That's certainly true." He gave her a kiss on the top of the head, then walked over to the pile of wrestling boys and deftly lifted Christopher off the top. "No wrestling around mom's good vase."

* * *

Max arched an eyebrow. "You know, every time I come over Uncle Greg, Aunt Claire says that the batteries are almost worn out on the singing gnome."

"This is true," Greg agreed, turning on the playstation.

"And it's still here." Max grinned. "You better be careful. Aunt Claire might drown it in the bathtub."

"Nah, she loves me too much," Greg decided. "Right Claire?"

Claire smirked, a free hand resting on her swollen abdomen. "You're worth keeping."

"Dad says it's scary that you're breeding," Max said, picking up the control.

"Yeah, well you're parents bred, and they got you," Greg explained.

"I prefer to think they were practicing for perfection," Max replied. "Bet I can kick your butt at drag racing."

"You're on!" Greg told him, turning on the game.

* * *

Catherine took a deep shuddering breath, kissing Gil's hand that she had gripped earlier.

He grinned at her, pressing a kiss to her lips as she snuggled beside him.

"So good," she murmured, kissing him again. "Way too long since we did that."

"Agreed," he replied, hand stroking her hair. "You okay?"

A slow smile spread across her face. "Mhm."

"Love you, beautiful," he whispered. "I love watching you when we make love."

Catherine looked up at him, blushing slightly. "So I've noticed." She laid her head down again. "You okay?"

"Absolutely perfect."

* * *

"Uncle Greg?"

Greg looked down at the little boy he had just tucked into the sleeping bag. "Yeah?"

"If the judge is stupid and says Matt has to go with the evil lady…can we hide him here?"

Greg smiled sadly at Max. "I wish we could, mini me."

"This sucks."

"My Action Man sleeping bag?"

Max sent him a look. "No. My brother."

"Your brother sucks?"

"You know, for a DNA guy, you're pretty dense sometimes."

"My apologies."

"I'll forgive you. This time." Max leant up and hugged Greg. "Night, Uncle Greg."

"Night mini me."

* * *

Catherine rolled over in bed, waking up when she realized Gil was gone. Before she could call for him, he appeared in the bedroom doorway, a breakfast tray in his hands.

"Well, well," she smiled softly. "This is service."

"I figured that since we don't get to do this often, because of hungry kids, we needed to do it this morning."

"Sounds perfect," Catherine decided.

Gil smiled back at her and sat up next to her on the bed. Catherine snuggled against him. "What did you make?" she asked.

Gil lifted the cover of one of the plates. "On this plate for Madame, we have scrambled eggs, tomato and bacon." He lifted another plate. "On this plate for Madame, we have pancakes." He gestured to the mug. "Piping hot coffee and…" he lifted his other hand up. "A rose for the lady."

Catherine leant up and kissed him. "You're amazing."

"So are you," he told her, hugging her tight. "Hungry?"

"Famished. I worked up an appetite last night."

Gil chuckled. "Indeed you did. So did I."

"Eat," Catherine ordered him, pointing a forkful of egg his way.

Gil took the proffered food from the fork. "Hmm. Very good, even if I do say so myself."

Catherine grinned and ate some herself. "Nice work, Dr. Grissom. I think I'll keep you."

"You better," Gil reminded her.

* * *

"BOMBS AWAY!!!" Max cried, launching himself into the Grissom family pool.

"MAAAX!" Lizzie and Lindsey cried in unison, trying to get themselves away from the splash.

Being the weekend, the Grissom's were enjoying what might be their last time as a whole family.

Gil and Catherine felt it keenly, and Catherine stayed as close to her kids as she could.

"Don't splash your sisters," Gil told Max sternly, before hopping into the pool, his hands going around his wife's waist.

"Hi," she whispered, leaning against him. "Where were you?"

"I turned the phone onto permanent messages. I don't want anything to interrupt this weekend."

She rested her head against his chest. "Have I mentioned how wonderful last night was?"

"Mhm." He kissed the top of her head.

"And how wonderful you are?"

"You…" Gil frowned as he saw a snorkel rise up between them. "Cath? Do you ever get the feeling you're being watched?"

Catherine looked down. "Max!"

The little boy burst up between them, droplets of water cascading down his face. He grinned at them. "Hi!"

Catherine looked at Gil, who smirked back at her. In one quick movement, they reached down, grabbed hold of him and tossed him.

Max squealed as he splashed down. He came up spluttering. "SEE! That's what I'M talking about! FUN people, FUN!" He paddled over to them. "DO IT AGAIN!"

"Me next!" Jamie cried, making his way over.

Matt swam over, dunking Max under the water, who then leapt onto his back.

"Hey!"

Catherine laughed as she watched Gil dunk their sons in the water, with Matt's assistance. A wave of sadness fell over her and she shook it off, going to sit by the edge of the pool.

"Mom?"

She looked up, smiling as Lindsey sat beside her. "Hey, sweetheart."

"You and Dad have a good date last night?"

Catherine smiled. "It was amazing. We…"

Lindsey put a hand up. "No disgusting details."

Catherine smirked. "It wasn't disgusting when we did it."

"EW! Mom!"

"He made me breakfast in bed." Catherine watched the boys. "It was wonderful."

"Nice break, huh?"

Catherine looked up at her daughter. "What do you mean?"

"You looked like you were about to cry."

Catherine turned her attention back to watching the boys. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Lindsey took her mother's hand and squeezed it. "Everything's going to be okay, you know."

"Cath!" Gil called out with laughter. "Help! I'm being bombarded!"

"Come on mom! Don't hide!" Max cried.

Catherine wiped the moisture from her eyes. "We better join them before Max stages a coup." She slid back into the water, making her way over to the group.

Sunday night, Gil carefully peeked into Matthew's room. Max had curled up next to his older brother. He smiled slightly and closed the door. Lindsey and Lizzie was fast asleep in her room, and Jamie had also fallen asleep. He headed back into his bedroom, smiling as he found Catherine curled up on the bed, eyes closed.

He knew that she was worn out. He worried about her too.

Gil sat on the side of the bed, staring at the wall for a moment, contemplating their lives at the moment. He sighed and rubbed his face.

Catherine's hand snaked up and rested on his shoulder. Without needing any words, she urged him to lie down.

She curled up on the bed and Gil spooned himself behind her, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Love you, Cath."

"Love you too, Gil."


	24. 24

Part 24 

Gil looked around the kitchen, before glancing at Lizzie. "Where's your mother?"

Lizzie glanced over at him, from where she was eating her breakfast. "Throwing up."

Gil frowned. "Okay. Can you make sure that Max and Jamie eat properly? I'm going to go make sure she's alright."

Lizzie nodded. "Sure."

* * *

He knocked on the door to their bathroom. "Cath?"

"I'm fine. Just getting ready."

Gil sighed and opened the door, finding his wife slumped next to the toilet.

"Cath…"

"I'm fine."

Gil sat down on the floor beside her, holding her in his arms. "Don't lie to me."

She rested her head against his shoulder. "I don't know if I can go in there today and let him go."

He laced his fingers with her. "We don't know that we'll have to do that, Cath. And…if we do…Matt is going to need us all there."

She snuggled closer to him, as his free hand rubbed her back. "I'm scared, Gil."

"I know, Cath. Me too." He kissed her forehead. "But we have to be strong for the kids. Later, I promise, if we need to, we can break down together. But we have our beautiful kids sitting downstairs scared out of their mind."

Catherine nodded. "Kay."

"Want some help?"

She nodded again and they stood up together, indulging in a long hug.

* * *

Max was unusually solemn that morning. He had turned into Matthew's shadow, and literally followed the boy everywhere.

Catherine watched with concerned eyes, until Jamie rested a hand on her shoulder.

"It's going to be okay, mom. No matter what happens, I promise to take care of Max."

Catherine took him in her arms, hugging him tight. "I know it'll be okay." She kissed his forehead. "You're a great kid."

"Mom?" Lizzie appeared in the room, Lindsey behind her. "We're ready to go."

Catherine looked up. "Where are the boys?"

"In Matt's room. Dad is up there with them."

* * *

"Guys?"

Matt looked up from where he was closing his cupboard door. "Yeah, Dad?"

"We have to go."

The boy nodded. "Okay. Come on, Max."

"This sucks," Max said, getting off the bed. "Sara Sidle sucks. And if that judge rules her way, he sucks too."

Gil nodded as he followed the boys down. "I couldn't agree more."

* * *

Max handed Jamie the note. "Just do it."

"This is wrong," Jamie said, accepting the piece of paper. "Very wrong."

"Hey, I can't go near her. But you can."

Jamie rolled his eyes and, making sure his parents were occupied, darted over to Sara Sidle, pushed the note on her desk and darted back.

Sara arched an eyebrow, opening the note.

_Ms. Sidle._

_You suck._

_Sincerely_

_Max Grissom._

Her eyes widened and she showed Mr. Andrews. He groaned.

"It'll all be over soon. And if this judge has any sense, he'll give Matt to you. Never mind about that little monster."

Sara looked over at Max, who made a face at her. She frowned and turned back to the front.

"All rise for Judge Capeside."

Everyone in the courtroom rose. When they sat down, Gil nudged his wife. "Look behind you."

Catherine turned around and almost burst into tears. Lining the rows behind them were all their friends and family. Warrick, Nick and Greg had brought their wives. Lindsey's boyfriend (who Gil preferred to believe didn't exist) had come. Jim Brass and Albert Robbins were there.

Lindsey, Lizzie and Jamie sat stoically. When Max caught her looking at them, he formed the "aok" sign with his fingers and then blew her a kiss.

She grinned and turned back to the front.

Judge Capeside looked down on everyone. "This has been a very harrowing case, for all parties involved and myself. A lot of this case has been separate parties taking potshots at each other." He sighed. "A lot of information has been unnecessary. At the end of the day, the only question to be answered is, where should Matthew Grissom live?" He turned to Andrews and Sara. "Ms. Sidle. You are obviously making an effort to change your life. Your actions ten years ago are questionable. However, you have come back for your son, and have fought very hard for him. You are working through the AA program in order to reestablish yourself. You have a job and a home. For that you are to be commended." He turned back to the Grissom family. "Dr. Grissom, you rose to the occasion on the discovery that you had a son. You welcomed him into your family, and you made a home for him. Mrs. Grissom, you looked past the fact that biologically Matthew was not your son, and you took him into your home, your family and loved him as your own child." He sat back. "For the first five years of his life, Matthew was in a home with his biological mother, who cared for him to the best of her ability. At some point, things changed and Ms. Sidle returned to Vegas. If we take Mr. Andrews point of view, she returned to introduce Matthew to Dr. Grissom. If we take what seems the more popular point of view, she returned for Dr. Grissom. The fact remains, that at some point on this trip, Ms. Sidle disappeared, leaving Matthew in a hotel room by himself. Mrs. Grissom arrived, took him home, and he has been integrated into the Grissom family ever since." He turned back to Andrews and Sara. "To me, it does not matter how many children the Grissom have. Their sexual activities are their business. They are not for this courtroom, or for this case. Nor do I care how often either party wrote letters to the child at camp." He sat back again. "For all I've heard in this court, the main thing I was looking for, is what is best for Matthew. I don't care about former relationships, who was in love with who, or who tried to sabotage who. I have heard testimony from each of the Grissom children, who to me, sound perfectly normal and well-adjusted. I have heard testimony from Dr and Mrs. Grissom, who seem a happy couple very much in love. I have heard testimony from Ms. Sidle, who sounds like she has many regrets." He sighed. "Finally, I heard testimony from Matthew. Who, believe it or not, helped me make my final decision." He turned to Sara. "You have shown me no reason to give Matthew to you, nor any inclination of wanting him." Judge Capeside sat forward. "In the matter of Sidle V Grissom, I find in favor of the Grissom family, and order that full custody of Matthew Grissom be award to his father, Gil Grissom and stepmother, Catherine Grissom. I further order that Ms. Sidle receive family counseling, and that in 6 months, a review of her visitation rights be discuss. For now, her visitation rights are void."

Max jumped out of his seat. "YES!!!!!" He pointed a finger up at the judge. "You're the MAN!"

The judge hid a smirk, before banging his gavel down. "Adjourned."

Catherine took a deep breath, turning to Gil. She had tears in her eyes. "He's ours."

"MOM! DAD!" Matt launched himself over the top of the gate that divided them and threw himself into Catherine's arms.

Catherine held him tight against her, tears falling freely. "I've got you."

Gil kissed the boy on the top of the head. "You're coming home now. No one can take you away from us ever again."

"Let me at him!" Max cried, scrabbling over and propelling himself into his brother. "You're mine! All mine!"

As the kids went to see their brother, Gil turned to his wife, rubbing her arms.

"It's all going to be okay now."

Catherine leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I know." She rested against him. "I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart," Gil murmured, his arms tight around her body. "I love you very much."

THE END


End file.
